The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, by Richard Hakluyt

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perfect knowledge of him. And you are also to remember, into howe manyperils for your sakes, and his countreys loue, he is nowe to runne: whereofit is requisite that wee be not vnmindefull, if it please God to send himgood successe. Wee commit a little money to the chaunce and hazard ofFortune: He commits his life (a thing to a man of all things most deare) tothe raging Sea, and the vncertainties of many dangers. We shall here liueand rest at home quietly with our friends, and acquaintance: but hee in themeane time labouring to keepe the ignorant and vnruly Mariners in goodorder and obedience, with howe many cares shall hee trouble and vexehimselfe? with how many troubles shall he breake himselfe? and howe manydisquietings shall hee bee forced to sustaine? We shall keepe our ownecoastes and countrey: Hee shall seeke strange and vnknowen kingdomes. Heshall commit his safetie to barbarous and cruell people, and shall hazardhis life amongst the monstrous and terrible beastes of the Sea. Whereforein respect of the greatnesse of the dangers, and the excellencie of hischarge, you are to fauour and loue the man thus departing from vs: and ifit fall so happily out that hee returne againe, it is your part and duetiealso, liberally to reward him.

After that this noble yong Getleman had deliuered this or some such likespeech, much more eloquently then I can possiblie report it, the companiethen present beganne one to looke vpon another, one to question andconferre with another: and some (to whom the vertue and sufficiencie of theman was knowen) began secretly to reioyce with themselues, and to conceiuea speciall hope, that the man would prooue in time very rare and excellent,and that his vertues already appearing and shining to the world wouldegrowe to the great honour and aduancement of this kingdome.

After all this, the companie growing to some silence, it seemed good tothem that were of greatest grauity amongst them, to inquire, search andseeke what might be learned and knowen, concerning the Easterly part ortract of the world. For which cause two Tartarians, which were then of thekings Stable, were sent for, and an interpreter was gotten to be present,by whom they were demaunded touching their Countrey and the maners of theirnation. But they were able to answere nothing to the purpose: being indeede more acquainted (as one there merily and openly said) to tossepottes, then to learne the states and dispositions of people. But aftermuch adoe and many things passed about this matter, they grew at last tothis issue, to set downe and appoynt a time for the departure of theshippes: because diuers were of opinion, that a great part of the best timeof the yeere was already spent, and if the delay grewe longer, the waywould bee stopt and bard by the force of the Ice, and the colde climate:and therefore it was thought best by the opinion of them all, that by thetwentieth day of May, [Marginal note: They departed from Ratcliffe, the 20.of May, 1553.] the Captaines and Mariners should take shipping, and departfrom Radcliffe vpon the ebbe, if it pleased God. They hauing saluted theiracquaintance, one his wife, another his children, another his kinsfolkes,and another his friends deerer then his kinsfolkes, were present and readyat the day appoynted: and hauing wayed ancre, they departed with theturning of the water, and sailing easily, came first to Greenewich. Thegreater shippes are towed downe with boates, and oares, and the marinersbeing all apparelled in Watchet or skie coloured cloth, rowed amaine, andmade way with diligence. And being come neere to Greenewich, (where theCourt then lay) presently vpon the newes therof, the Courtiers came runningout, and the common people flockt together, standing very thicke vpon theshoare: the priuie Counsel, they lookt out at the windowes of the Court,and the rest ranne vp to the toppes of the towers: the shippes hereupondischarge their Ordinance, and shoot off their pieces after the maner ofwarre, and of the sea, insomuch that the tops of the hilles soundedtherewith, the valleys and the waters gaue an Eccho, and the Mariners, theyshouted in such sort, that the skie rang againe with the noyse thereof. Onestoode in the poope of the ship, and by his gesture bids farewell to hisfriendes in the best maner hee could. Another walkes vpon the hatches,another climbes the shrowds, another stands vpon the maine yard, andanother in the top of the shippe. To be short, it was a very triumph (aftera sort) in all respects to the beholders. But (alas) the good King Edward(in respect of whom principally all this was prepared) hee onely by reasonof his sickenesse was absent from this shewe, and not long after thedeparture of these ships, the lamentable and most sorrowfull accident ofhis death followed.

But to proceede in the matter.

The shippes going downe with the tyde came at last to Woolwich, where theystayed and cast ancre, with purpose to depart therehence againe, as sooneas the turning of the water, and a better winde should draw them to setsaile. After this they departed and came to Harwich, in which porte theystayed long, not without great losse and consuming of time: yet at the lastwith a good winde they hoysed vp saile, and committed themselues to thesea, giuing their last adieu to their natiue Countrey, which they knewe notwhether they should euer returne to see againe or not. Many of them lookedoftentimes back, and could not refraine from teares, considering into whathazards they were to fall, and what vncertainties of the sea they were tomake triall of.

Amongst the rest, Richard Chanceler the Captaine of the Edward Bonauenture,was not a little grieued with the feare of wanting victuals, part whereofwas found to be corrupt and putrified at Harwich, and the hoggesheads ofwine also leaked, and were not stanch: his naturall and fatherly affectionalso somewhat troubled him, for he left behinde him his two little sonnes,which were in the case of Orphanes if he spedde not well: the estate alsoof his companie mooued him to care, being in the former respects after asort vnhappie, and were to abide with himselfe euery good or baddeaccident: but in the meane time while his minde was thus tormented with themultiplicitie of sorrows and cares, after many dayes sayling, they kennedland afarre off, whereunto the Pilots directed the ships: and being come toit, they land, and find it to be Rost Island, where they stayed certainedayes, and afterwards set saile againe, and proceeding towards the North,they espied certaine other Islands, which were called the Crosse ofIslands. From which places when they were a little departed, Sir HughWilloughby the General, a man of good foresight and prouidence in all hisactions, erected and set out his flagge, by which hee called together thechiefest men of the other shippes, that by the helpe and assistance oftheir counsels, the order of the gouernement, and conduction of the shippesin the whole voyage might bee the better: who being come togetheraccordingly, they conclude and agree, that if any great tempest shouldarise at any time, and happen to disperse and scatter them, euery shippeshould indeuour his best to goe to Wardhouse, a hauen, or castell of somename in the kingdome of Norway, and that they that arriued there first insafetie should stay and expect the comming of the rest.

The very same day in the afternoone, about foure of the clocke, so great atempest suddenly arose, and the Seas were so outrageous, that the shipscould not keepe their intended course, but some were perforce driuen oneway, and some another way, to their great perill and hazard: The generallwith his lowdest voyce cried out to Richard Chanceler, and earnestlyrequested him not to goe farre from him: but hee neither would nor couldkeepe companie with him, if he sailed still so fast: for the Admirall wasof better saile then his shippe. But the said Admirall (I knowe not by whatmeanes) bearing all his sailes, was caried away with so great force andswiftnesse, that not long after hee was quite out of sight, and the thirdship also with the same storme and like rage was dispersed and lost vs.

The shippe boate of the Admirall (striking against the shippe,) wasouerwhelmed in the sight and viewe of the Mariners of the Bonauenture: andas for them that are already returned and arriued, they know nothing of therest of the ships what was become of them.

But if it be so, that any miserable mishap haue ouertaken them, If the rageand furie of the Sea haue deuoured those good men, or if as yet they liue,and wander vp and downe in strange Countreys, I must needs say they weremen worthy of better fortune, and if they be liuing, let vs wish themsafetie and a good returne: but if the crueltie of death hath taken holdeof them, God send them a Christian graue and Sepulchre.

Nowe Richard Chanceler with his shippe and company being thus left alone,and become very pensiue, heauie, and sorrowfull, by this dispersion of theFleete, hee (according to the order before taken,) shapeth his course forWardhouse in Norway, there to expect and abide the arriuall of the rest ofthe shippes. And being come thither, and hauing stayed there the space of 7dayes, and looked in vaine for their comming, hee determined at length toproceede alone in the purposed voyage. And as hee was preparing himselfe todepart, it happened that hee fell in company and speech with certaineScottish men: who hauing vnderstanding of his intention, and wishing wellto his actions, beganne earnestly to disswade him from the furtherprosecution of the discouerie, by amplifying the dangers which hee was tofall into, and omitted no reason that might serue to that purpose. But heeholding nothing so ignominious and reproachfull, as inconstancie andleuitie of minde, and perswading himselfe that a man of valour coulde notcommit a more dishonourable part then for feare of danger to auoyde andshunne great attempts, was nothing at all changed or discouraged with thespeeches and words of the Scots, remaining stedfast and immutable in hisfirst resolution: determining either to bring that to passe which wasintended, or els to die the death.

And as for them which were with Master Chanceler in his shippe, althoughthey had great cause of discomfort by the losse of their companie (whom theforesaid tempest had separated from them,) and were not a little troubledwith cogitations and pertubations of minde, in respect of their doubtfullcourse: yet notwithstanding, they were of such consent and agreement ofminde with Master Chanceler, that they were resolute, and prepared vnderhis direction and gouernment, to make proofe and triall of all aduentures,without all feare or mistrust of future dangers. Which constancie of mindein all the companie did exceedingly increase their Captaines carefulnesse:for hee being swallowed vp with like good will and loue towards them,feared lest through any errour of his, the safetie of the companie shouldbee indangered. To conclude, when they sawe their desire and hope of thearriuall of the rest of the shippes to be euery day more and morefrustrated, they prouided to sea againe, and Master Chanceler held on hiscourse towards that vnknowen part of the world, and sailed so farre, thathee came at last to the place where he found no night at all, but acontinual light and brightnesse of the Sunne shining clearely vpon the hugeand mightie Sea. [Sidenote: They arriue in the Bay of Saint Nicholas.] Andhauing the benefite of this perpetuall light for certaine dayes, at thelength it pleased God to bring them into a certaine great Bay, which was ofone hundreth miles or thereabout ouer. Whereinto they entred, and somewhatfarre within it cast ancre, and looking euery way about them, it happenedthat they espied a farre off a certaine fisher boate, which MasterChanceler, accompanied with a fewe of his men, went towards to common withthe fishermen that were in it, and to knowe of them what Countrey it was,and what people, and of what maner of liuing they were: but they beeingamazed with the strange greatnesse of his shippe, (for in those partesbefore that time they had neuer seene the like) beganne presently to auoydeand to flee: but hee still following them at last ouertooke them, and beingcome to them, they (being in great feare, as men halfe dead) prostratedthemselues before him, offering to kisse his feete: but hee (according tohis great and singular courtesie,) looked pleasantly vpon them, comfortingthem by signes and gestures, refusing those dueties and reuerences oftheirs, and taking them vp in all louing sort from the ground. And it isstrange to consider howe much fauour afterwards in that place, thishumanitie of his did purchase to himselfe. For they being dismissed spreadby and by a report abroad of the arriuall of a strange nation, of asingular gentlenesse and courtesie: whereupon the common people cametogether offering to these newe-come ghests victuals freely, and notrefusing to traffique with them, except they had bene bound by a certainereligious vse and custome, not to buy any forreine commodities, without theknowledge and consent of the king.

By this time our men had learned that this Countrey was called Russia, orMoscouie, and that Iuan Vasiliwich (which was at that time their Kingsname) ruled and gouerned farre and wide in those places. And the barbarousRusses asked likewise of our men whence they were, and what they came for:whereunto answere was made, that they were Englishmen sent into thosecoastes, from the most excellent King Edward the sixt, hauing from him incommandement certaine things to deliuer to their King, and seeking nothingels but his amitie and friendship, and traffique with his people, wherebythey doubted not, but that great commoditie and profit would grow to thesubiects of both kingdomes.

The Barbarians heard these things very gladly, and promised their aide andfurtherance to acquaint their king out of hand with so honest and areasonable request.

In the meane time Master Chanceler intreated victuals for his money of thegouernour of that place (who together with others came aboord him) andrequired hostages of them likewise for the more assurance of safetie tohimselfe and his company. To whom the gouernours answered, that they knewenot in that case the will of their king, but yet were willing in suchthings as they might lawfully doe, to pleasure him: which was as then toaffoord him the benefit of victuals.

Nowe while these things were a doing, they secretly sent a messenger vntothe Emperour, to certifie him of the arriuall of a strange nation, andwithall to knowe his pleasure concerning them. Which message was verywelcome vnto him, insomuch that voluntarily he inuited them to come to hisCourt. But if by reason of the tediousnesse of so long a iourney, theythought it not best so to doe, then hee graunted libertie to his subiectsto bargaine, and to traffique with them: and further promised, that if itwould please then to come to him, hee himselfe would beare the wholecharges of poste horses. In the meane time the gouernours of the placedifferred the matter from day to day, pretending diuers excuses, and sayingone while that the consent of all the gouernours, and another while, thatthe great and waightie affaires of the kingdome compelled them to differtheir answere: and this they did of purpose, so long to protract the time,vntill the messenger (sent before to the king) did returne with relation ofhis will and pleasure.

But Master Chanceler, (seeing himselfe held in this suspense with long andvaine expectation, and thinking that of intention to delude him, theyposted the matter off so often,) was very instant with them to performetheir promise: Which if they would not doe, hee tolde them that hee woulddepart and proceede in his voyage. So that the Moscouites (although as yetthey knew not the minde of their king) yet fearing the departure in deedeof our men who had such wares and commodities as they greatly desired, theyat last resolued to furnish our people with all things necessarie, and toconduct them by land to the presence of their king. And so Master Chancelerbeganne his iourney, which was very long and most troublesome, wherein heehad the vse of certaine sleds, and all their carriages are in the samesort, the people almost not knowing any other maner of carriage, the causewhereof is the exceeding hardnesse of the ground congealed in the wintertime by the force of the colde, which in those places is very extreme andhorrible, whereof hereafter we will say something.

But nowe they hauing passed the greater part of their iourney, mette atlast with the Sleddeman (of whom I spake before) sent to the king secretlyfrom the Iustices or gouernours, who by some ill happe had lost his way,and had gone to the Sea side, which is neere to the Countrey of the Tartarsthinking there to haue found our ship. But hauing long erred and wanderedout of his way, at the last in his direct returne, hee met (as hee wascoming) our Captaine on the way. To whom hee by and by deliuered theEmperours letters, which were written to him with all courtesie and in themost louing maner that could be: wherein expresse commandement was giuen,that post horses should bee gotten for him and the rest of his companywithout any money. Which thing was of all the Russes in the rest of theiriourney so willingly done, that they began to quarrell, yea, and to fightalso in striuing and contending which of them should put their post horsesto the sledde: so that after much adoe and great paines taken in this longand wearie iourney, (for they had trauelled very neere fifteene hundredmiles) Master Chanceler came at last to Mosco the chiefe citie of thekingdome, and the seate of the king: of which citie, and of the Emperourhimselfe, and of the principall cities of Moscouie, wee will speakeimmediately more at large in this discourse.

Of Moscouie, which is also called Russia.

Moscouie, which hath the name also of Russia the white, is a very large andspacious Countrey, euery way bounded with diuers nations. Towards the Southand the East, it is compassed with Tartaria: the Northren side of itstretcheth to the Scytian Ocean: vpon the West part border the Lappians, arude and sauage nation, liuing in woods, whose language is not knowen toany other people: next vnto these, more towards the South, is Swecia, thenFinlandia, then Liuonia, and last of all Lituania. This Countrey ofMoscouie, hath also very many and great riuers in it, and is marish ground,in many places: and as for the riuers, the greatest and most famousamongst, all the rest, is that, which the Russes in their owne tongue callVolga, but others know it by the name of Rha. Next vnto it in fame isTanais, which they call Don, and the third Boristhenes which at this daythey call Neper. Two of these, to wit, Rha, and Boristhenes yssuing bothout of one fountaine, runne very farre through the land: Rha receiuing manyother pleasant riuers into it, and running from the very head or spring ofit towards the East, after many crooked turnings and windings, dischargethit selfe, and all the other waters and riuers that fall into it by diuerspassages into the Caspian Sea. Tanais springing from a fountaine of greatname in those partes, and growing great neere to his head, spreds it selfeat length very largely, and makes a great lake: and then growing narroweagaine, doth so runne for certaine miles, vntill it fall into another lake,which they call Iuan: and therehence fetching a very crooked course, comesvery neere to the riuer Volga: but disdaining as it were the company of anyother riuer, doth there turne it selfe againe from Volga, and runnes towardthe South, and fals at last into the Lake of Moeotis. Boristhenes, whichcomes from the same head that Rha doth, (as wee sayde before) carieth bothit selfe, and other waters that are neere vnto it, towards the South, notrefusing the mixture of other small riuers: and running by many great andlarge Countreys fals at last into Pontius Euxinus. Besides these riuers,are also in Muscouie certaine lakes, and pooles, the lakes breede fish bythe celestiall influence: and amongst them all, the chiefest and mostprincipall is called Bealozera, which is very famous by reason of a verystrong towre built in it, wherein the kings of Muscouie reserue and reposetheir treasure in all times of warre and danger.

Touching the Riphean mountaines, whereupon the snow lieth continually, andwhere hence in times past it was thought that Tanais the riuer did spring,and that the rest of the wonders of nature, which the Grecians fained andinuented of olde, were there to be seene: our men which lately came fromthence, neither sawe them, not yet haue brought home any perfect relationof them, although they remained there for the space of three moneths, andhad gotten in that time some intelligence of the language of Moscouie. Thewhole Countrey is plaine and champion, and few hils in it: and towards theNorth it hath very large and spacious woods, wherein is great store ofFirre trees, a wood very necessarie, and fit for the building of houses:there are also wilde beastes bred in those woods, as Buffes, Beares, andblacke Wolues, and another kinde of beast vnknowen to vs, but called bythem Rossomakka: and the nature of the same is very rare and wonderfull:for when it is great with yong, and ready to bring foorth, it seeketh outsome narrow place betweene two stakes, and so going through them, pressethit selfe, and by that meanes is eased of her burden, which otherwise couldnot be done. They hunt their buffes for the most part a horsebacke, buttheir Beares a foot, with woodden forkes. The north parts of the Countreyare reported to be so cold, that the very ice or water which distilleth outof the moist wood which they lay upon the fire is presently congealed andfrozen: the diuersitie growing suddenly to be so great, that in one and theselfe same firebrand, a man shall see both fire and ice. When the winterdoth once begin there it doth still more and more increase by a perpetuitieof cold: neither doth that colde slake, vntill the force of the Sunnebeames doth dissolue the cold, and make glad the earth, returning to itagaine. Our mariners which we left in the ship in the meane time to keepeit, in their going vp onely from their cabbins to the hatches, had theirbreath oftentimes so suddenly taken away, that they eftsoones fell downe asmen very neere dead, so great is the sharpenesse of that colde climate: butas for the South parts of the Countrey, they are somewhat more temperate.

Of Mosco the chiefe Citie of the kingdome, and of the Emperour thereof.

It remaineth that a larger discourse be made of Mosco, the principall Cityof that Countrey, and of the Prince also, as before we haue promised. TheEmpire and gouernment of the king is very large, and his wealth at thistime exceeding great. And because the citie of Mosco is the chiefest of althe rest, it seemeth of it selfe to challenge the first place in thisdiscourse. Our men say, that in bignesse it is as great as the Citie ofLondon, with the suburbes thereof. There are many and great buildings init, but for beautie and fairenesse, nothing comparable to ours. There aremany Townes and Villages also, but built out of order, and with nohansomnesse: their streets and wayes are not paued with stone as ours are:the walles of their houses are of wood: the roofes for the most part arecouered with shingle boords. There is hard by the Citie a very faireCastle, strong, and furnished with artillerie, whereunto the Citie isioyned directly towards the North, with a bricke wall: the walles also ofthe Castle are built with bricke, and are in breadth or thickenesseeighteene foote. This Castle hath on the one side a drie ditch, on theother side the riuer Moscua, whereby it is made almost inexpugnable. Thesame Moscua trending towards the East doth admit into it the companie ofthe riuer Occa.

In the Castle aforesaide, there are in number nine Churches, or Chappells,not altogether vnhansome, which are vsed and kept by certaine religiousmen, ouer whom there is after a sort, a Patriarke, or Gouernour, and withhim other reuerend Fathers all which for the greater part, dwell within theCastle. As for the kings Court and Palace, it is not of the neatest, onelyin forme it is foure square, and of low building, much surpassed andexcelled by the beautie and elegancie of the houses of the kings ofEngland. The windowes are very narrowly built, and some of them by glasse,some other by lettisses admit the light: and whereas the Palaces of ourPrinces are decked, and adorned with hangings of cloth of gold, there isnone such there: they build and ioyne to all their wals benches, and thatnot onely in the Court of the Emperour, but in all priuate mens houses.

Nowe after that they had remained about twelue dayes in the Citie there wasthen a Messenger sent vnto them, to bring them to the Kings house: and theybeing after a sort wearied with their long stay, were very ready, andwilling so to doe: and being entred within the gates of the Court, theresate a very honorable companie of Courtiers, to the number of one hundred,all apparelled in cloth of golde, downe to their ankles: and there hencebeing conducted into the chamber of presence, our men beganne to wonder atthe Maiestie of the Emperour: his seate was aloft, in a very royall throne,hauing on his head a Diademe, or Crowne of golde, apparalled with a robeall of Goldsmiths worke, and in his hand hee held a Scepter garnished, andbeset with precious stones: and besides all other notes and apparances ofhonour, there was a Maiestie in his countenance proportionable with theexcellencie of his estate: on the one side of him stood his chiefeSecretaire, on the other side, the great Commander of silence, both of themarayed also in cloth of gold: and then there sate the Counsel of onehundred and fiftie in number, all in like sort arayed, and of great State.This so honorable an assemblie, so great a Maiestie of the Emperour, and ofthe place might very well haue amazed our men, and haue dasht them out ofcountenance: but notwithstanding Master Chanceler being therewithallnothing dismaied saluted, and did his duetie to the Emperour, after themaner of England, and withall, deliuered vnto him the letters of our king,Edward the sixt. The Emperour hauing taken, and read the letters, began alitle to question with them, and to aske them of the welfare of our king:whereunto our men answered him directly, and in few words: hereupon our menpresented some thing to the Emperour, by the chiefe Secretary, which at thedeliuery of it, put of his hat, being before all the time couered: and sothe Emperour hauing inuited them to dinner, dismissed them from hispresence: and going into the chamber of him that was Master of the Requeststo the Emperour, and hauing stayed there the space of two howres, at thelast, the Messenger commeth, and calleth them to dinner: they goe, andbeing conducted into the golden Court, (for so they call it, although notvery faire) they finde the Emperour sitting vpon an high and stately seate,apparelled with a robe of siluer, and with another Diademe on his head: ourmen being placed ouer against him, sit downe: in the middes of the roomestoode a mightie Cupboord vpon a square foote, whereupon stoode also around boord, in manner of a Diamond, broade beneath, and towardes the toppenarrowe, and euery steppe rose vp more narrowe then another. Vpon thisCupboorde was placed the Emperours plate, which was so much, that the veryCupboord it selfe was scant able to sustaine the waight of it: the betterpart of all the vessels, and goblets, was made of very fine gold: andamongst the rest, there were foure pots of very large bignesse, which didadorne the rest of the plate in great measure: for they were so high, thatthey thought them at the least fiue foote long. There were also vpon thisCupbord certaine siluer caskes, not much differing from the quantitie ofour Fyrkins, wherein was reserued the Emperours drinke: on each side of theHall stood foure Tables, each of them layde and couered with very cleanetable clothes, whereunto the company ascended by three steps or degrees:all which were filled with the assemblie present: the ghests were allapparelled with linnen without, and with rich skinnes within, and so didnotably set out this royall feast The Emperour, when hee takes any bread orknife in his hand, doth first of all crosse himselfe vpon his forehead:they that are in special fauour with the Emperour sit vpon the same benchwith him, but somewhat farre from him: and before the comming in of themeate, the Emperour himselfe, according to an ancient custome of the kingsof Moscouy, doth first bestow a piece of bread vpon euery one of hisghests, with a loud pronunciation of his title, and honour, in this manner:The great Duke of Moscouie, and chiefe Emperour of Russia, Iohn Basiliwich(and then the officer nameth the ghest) doth giue thee bread. Whereupon althe ghests rise vp, and by and by sit downe againe. This done, theGentleman Vsher of the Hall comes in, with a notable company of seruants,carying the dishes, and hauing done his reuerence to the Emperour, puts ayong Swanne in a golden platter vpon the table, and immediately takes itthence againe, deliuering it to the Caruer, and seuen other of hisfellowes, to be cut up: which being perfourmed, the meate is thendistributed to the ghests, with the like pompe, and ceremonies. In themeane time, the Gentleman Vsher receiues his bread, and tasteth to theEmperour, and afterward, hauing done his reuerence, he departeth. Touchingthe rest of the dishes, because they were brought in out of order, our mencan report no certaintie: but this is true, that all the furniture ofdishes, and drinking vessels, which were then for the vse of a hundredghests, was all of pure golde, and the tables were so laden with vessels ofgold, that there was no roome for some to stand vpon them.

We may not forget, that there were 140. seruitors arayed in cloth of gold,that in the dinner time, changed thrise their habit and apparell, whichseruitors are in like sort serued with bread from the Emperour, as the restof the ghests. Last of all, dinner being ended, and candles brought in,(for by this time night was come) the Emperour calleth all his ghests andNoble Men by their names, in such sort, that it seemes miraculous, that aPrince, otherwise occupied in great matters of estate, should so wellremember so many and sundry particular names. The Russes tolde our men,that the reason thereof, as also of the bestowing of bread in that maner,was to the ende that the Emperour might keepe the knowledge of his ownehoushold: and withal, that such as are vnder his displeasure, might by thismeanes be knowen.

Of the discipline of warre among the Russes.

Whensoeuer the iniuries of their neighbours doe call the King foorth tobattell, hee neuer armeth a lesse number against the enemie, then 300.thousand soldiers, 100. thousand whereof hee carieth out into the fieldwith him, and leaueth the rest in garison in some fit places, for thebetter safetie of his Empire. He presseth no husbandman, nor Marchant: forthe Countrey is so populous, that these being left at home, the youth ofthe Realme is sufficient for all his wars. As many as goe out to warfaredoe prouide all things of their owne cost: they fight not on foote, butaltogether on horsebacke: their armour is a coate of maile, and a helmet:the coate of maile without is gilded, or els adorned with silke, althoughit pertaine to a common soldier: they haue a great pride in shewing theirwealth: they vse bowes, and arrowes, as the Turks do: they cary lances alsointo the field. They ride with a short stirrop, after the maner of theTurks: They are a kinde of people most sparing in diet, and most patient inextremitie of cold, aboue all others. For when the ground is couered withsnowe, and is growen terrible and hard with the frost, this Russe hangs vphis mantle, or souldiers coate, against that part from whence the winde andSnowe driues, and so making a little fire, lieth downe with his backetowards the weather: this mantle of his serues him for his bed, wall, houseand all: his drinke is colde water of the riuer, mingled with oatemeale,and this is all his good cheere, and he thinketh himselfe well, anddaintily fedde therewith, and so sitteth downe by his fire, and vpon thehard ground, rosteth as it were his wearie sides thus daintily stuffed: thehard ground is his feather bed, and some blocke or stone his pillow: and asfor his horse, he is as it were a chamberfellow with his master, faringboth alike. How iustly may this barbarous, and rude Russe condemne thedaintinesse and nicenesse of our Captaines, who liuing in a soile and airemuch more temperate, yet commonly vse furred boots, and clokes? But thusmuch of the furniture of their common souldiers. But those that are ofhigher degrees come into the field a little better prouided. As for thefurniture of the Emperour himselfe, it is then aboue all other times, mostnotable. The couerings of his tent for the most part, are all of gold,adorned with stones of great price, and with the curious workemanship ofplumasiers. As often as they are to skirmish with the enemie, they goeforth without any order at all: they make no wings, nor militarie diuisionsof their men, as we doe, but lying for the most part, in ambush, doesuddenly set vpon the enemie. Their horses can well abstaine two wholedaies from any meate. They feede vpon the barkes of trees, and the mosttender branches, in all the time of warre. And this scant and miserablemaner of liuing, both the horse and his Master can well endure, sometimesfor the space of two moneths, lustie, and in good state of body. If any manbehaue himselfe valiantly in the fielde, to the contentation of theEmperour, he bestoweth vpon him in recompense of his seruice, some farme,or so much ground as he and his may liue vpon, which notwithstanding afterhis death, returneth againe to the Emperour, if he die without a maleissue. For although his daughters be neuer so many, yet no part of thatinheritance comes to them, except peraduenture the Emperour of hisgoodnesse, giue some portion of the land amongst them, to bestowe themwithall. As for the man, whosoeuer he be, that is in this sort rewarded bythe Emperours liberalitie, hee is bound in a great summe, to maintaine somany souldiers for the warre, when need shall require, as that land, in theopinion of the Emperour, is able to maintaine. And all those, to whom anyland fals by inheritance, are in no better condition: for if they diewithout any male issue, all their lands fall into the hands of theEmperour. And moreouer, if there be any rich man amongst them, who in hisowne person is vnfit for the warres, and yet hath such wealth, that therebymany Noble men and warriours might be maintained, if any of the Courtierspresent his name to the Emperour, the vnhappy man is by and by sent for,and in that instant, depriued of all his riches, which with great painesand trauell all his life time he had gotten together: except perhaps somesmall portion thereof be left him, to maintaine his wife, children andfamilie. But all this is done of all the people so willingly at theEmperours commandement, that a man would thinke, they rather makerestitution of other mens goods, then giue that which is their owne toother men. Nowe the Emperour hauing taken these goods into his hands,bestoweth them among his Courtiers, according to their deserts: and theoftener that a man is sent to the warres, the more fauour he thinketh isborne to him by the Emperour, although he goe vpon his owne charge, as Isaid before. So great is the obedience of all men generally to theirPrince.

Of the Ambassadours of the Emperour of Moscouie.

The Moscouite, with no lesse pompe, and magnificence, then that which wehaue spoken of, sends his Ambassadors to forrein Princes, in the affairesof estate. For while our men were abiding in the Citie of Mosco, there weretwo Ambassadors sent to the King of Poland, accompanied with 500. notablehorses, and the greater part of the men were arrayed in cloth of gold, andof silke, and the worst apparell was of garments of blewe colour, to speakenothing of the trappings of the horses, which were adorned with gold andsiluer, and very curiously embrodered: they had also with them one hundredwhite and faire spare horses, to vse them at such times, as any wearinessecame vpon them. But now the time requireth me to speake briefly of otherCities of the Moscouites, and of the wares and commodities that theCountrey yeeldeth.

Nouogorode.

Next vnto Mosco, the Citie of Nouogorode is reputed the chiefest of Russia:for although it be in Maiestie inferior to it, yet in greatnesse it goethbeyond it. It is the chiefest and greatest Marte Towne of all Moscouie: andalbeit the Emperour's seate is not there, but at Mosco, yet thecommodiousness of the riuer, falling into the gulfe, which is called SinusFinnicus, whereby it is well frequented by Marchants, makes it more famousthen Mosco it selfe. This towne excels all the rest in the commodities offlaxe and hempe: It yeeldes also hides, honie, and waxe. The Flemings theresometimes had a house of Marchandize, but by reason that they vsed the likeill dealing there, which they did with vs, they lost their priuileges, arestitution whereof they earnestly sued for at the time that our men werethere. But those Flemings hearing of the arriuall of our men in thoseparts, wrote their letters to the Emperour against them, accusing them forpirats and rouers, wishing him to detaine, and imprison them. Which thingswhen they were knowen of our men, they conceiued feare, that they shouldneuer haue returned home. But the Emperour beleeuing rather the Kingsletters, which our men brought, then the lying and false suggestions of theFlemings, vsed no ill intreatie towards them.

Yeraslaue.

Yeraslaue also is a Towne of some good fame, for the commodities of hides,tallow, and corne, which it yeeldes in great abundance. Cakes of waxe arethere also to bee solde, although other places haue greater store: ThisYeraslaue is distant from Mosco, about two hundred miles: and betwixt themare many populous villages. Their fields yeeld such store of corne, that inconuaying it towards Mosco, sometimes in a forenoone, a man shall see seuenhundred or eight hundred sleds, going and comming, laden with corne andsalt fish: the people come a thousand miles to Mosco, to buy that corne,and then cary it away vpon sleds: and these are those people that dwell inthe North parts, where the colde is so terrible, that no corne doth growethere, or if it spring vp it neuer comes to ripenesse. The commodities thatthey bring with them, are salt fish, skinnes, and hides.

Vologda.

Vologda being from Mosco, 550. miles yeeldes the commodities of Hempe andFlaxe also: although the greatest store of Flaxe is solde at Nouogrode.

Plesco.

The Towne of Plesco, is frequented of Marchants for the good store of Honieand Waxe that it yeeldeth.

Colmagro.

The North parts of Russia yeelde very rare and precious skinnes: andamongst the rest, those principally, which we call Sables, worne about theneckes of our Noble women and Ladies: it hath also Martins skinnes, white,blacke, and red Foxe skinnes, skinnes of Hares, and Ermyns, and others,which they call and terme barbarously, as Beuers, Minxes, and Miniuers. Thesea adioyning, breedes a certaine beast, which they call the Mors, whichseeketh his foode vpon the rockes, climing vp with the helpe of his teeth.The Russes vse to take them, for the great vertue that is in their teeth,whereof they make as great accompt, as we doe of the Elephants tooth. Thesecommodities they cary vpon Deeres backes to the towne of Lampas: and fromthence to Colmagro, and there in the winter time, are kept great Faires forthe sale of them. This Citie of Colmagro, serues all the Countrey about itwith salt, and salt fish. The Russians also of the North parts, sendthither oyle, which they call traine, which they make in a riuer calledVna, [Marginal note: Or Dwina.] although it be also made elsewhere: andhere they vse to boile the water of the sea, whereof they make very greatstore of salt.

Of controuersies in Lawe, and how they are ended.

Hauing hitherto spoken so much of the chiefest Cities of Russia, as thematter required: it remaineth that we speake somewhat of the lawes, thatthe Moscouits doe vse, as farre foorth as the same are come to ourknowledge. If any controuersie arise among them, they first make theirLandlords Iudges in the matter, and if they cannot end it, then theypreferre it to the Magistrate. The plaintif craueth of the said Magistrate,that he may haue leaue to enter law against his aduesarie: and hauingobtained it, the officer fetcheth the defendant, and beateth him on thelegges, till he bring forth a suretie for him: but if he be not of suchcredite, as to procure a surety, then are his hands by an officer tied tohis necke, and he is beaten all the way, till he come before the Iudge. TheIudge then asketh him (as for example in the matter of debt) whether heoweth any thing to the plaintife. If he denies it, then saith the Iudge,How canst thou deny it? the defendant answereth, By an othe: thereupon theofficer is commaunded to cease from beating of him, vntill the matter befurther tried. They haue no Lawyers, but euery man is his owne Aduocate,and both the complaint of the accuser, and the answere of the defendant,are in maner of petition deliuered to the Emperour, intreating iustice athis hands. The Emperour himselfe heareth euery great controuersie, and vponthe hearing of it, giueth iudgement, and that with great equitie, which Itake to be a thing worthy of speciall commendation, in the Maiestie of aPrince. But although he doe this with a good purpose of mind, yet thecorrupt Magistrates do wonderfully peruert the same: but if the Emperourtake them in any fault, he doeth punish them most seuerely. Now at thelast, when ech partie hath defended his cause with his best reasons, theIudge demandeth of the accuser, whether he hath any more to say forhimselfe: he answereth, that he will trie the matter in fight by hisChampion, or else intreateth, that in fight betwixt themselues the mattermay be ended: which being graunted, they both fight it out: or if both ofthem, or either of them seeme vnfit for that kinde of triall, then theyhaue publike Champions to be hired, which liue by ending of quarrels. TheseChampions are armed with yron axes, and speares, and fight on foote, and hewhose Champion is ouercome, is by and by taken, and imprisoned, andterribly handled, vntill he agree with his aduersarie. But if either ofthem be of any good calling, and degree, and doe challenge one another tofight, the Iudge granteth it: in which case they may not vse publikeChampions. And he that is of any good birth, doth contemne the other, if hebe basely borne, and wil not fight with him. If a poore man happen to growin debt, his Creditor takes him, and maketh him pay the debt, in workingeither to himselfe, or to some other man, whose wages he taketh vp. Andthere are some among them, that vse willingly to make themselues, theirwiues, and children, bondslaues vnto rich men, to haue a little money atthe first into their hands, and so for euer after content themselues withmeate and drinke: so little accompt doe they make of libertie.

Of punishments vpon theeues.

If any man be taken vpon committing of theft, he is imprisoned, and oftenbeaten, but not hanged for the first offence, as the manner is with vs: andthis they call the lawe of mercie. He that offendeth the second time hathhis nose cut off, and is burnt in the forehead with a hot yron. The thirdtime, he is hanged. There are many cutpurses among them, and if the rigourof the Prince did not cut them off they could not be auoyded.

Of their religion.

They maintaine the opinions of the Greeke Church: they suffer no grauenimages of saints in their Churches, but their pictures painted in tablesthey haue in great abundance, which they do adore and offer vnto, and burnewaxe candles before them, and cast holy water vpon them, without otherhonour. They say that our images which are set vp in Churches, and carued,haue no diuinitie in them. In their priuate houses they haue images fortheir household saints, and for the most part, they are put in the darkestplace of the house: hee that comes into his neighbours house doth firstsalute his saints, although he see them not. If any foorme or stoole standin his way, hee oftentimes beateth his browe vpon the same, and oftenducking downe with his head, and body, worshippeth the chiefe Image. Thehabite, and attire of the Priests, and of the Lay men, doth nothing at alldiffer: as for marriage, it is forbidden to no man: onely this is receiuedand held amongst them for a rule, and custome, that if a Priests wife doedie, he may not marry againe, nor take a second wife: and therefore they ofsecular Priests, as they call them, are made Monkes, to whom then chastitiefor euer is commanded. Their diuine seruice is all done and said in theirowne language, that euery man may vnderstand it: they receiue the LordsSupper with leauened bread, and after the consecration, they carry it aboutthe Church in a saucer, and prohibite no man from receiuing and taking ofit, that is willing so to doe. They vse both the Olde and the NeweTestament, and read both in their owne language, but so confusedly, thatthey themselues that doe reade, vnderstand not what themselues doe say: andwhile any part of either Testament is read, there is liberty giuen bycustome to prattle, talke, and make a noise: but in the time of the rest ofthe seruice they vse very great silence and reuerence and behaue themseluesvery modestly, and in good sort. As touching the Lords praier, the tenthman amongst them knowes it not: and for the articles of our faith, and theten commandements, no man, or at the least very fewe of them doe eitherknow them or can say them: their opinion is, that such secrete and holythings as they are should not rashly and imprudently be communicated withthe common people. They holde for a maxime amongst them, that the oldeLawe, and the commandements also are abolished by the death and blood ofChrist: all studies and letters of humanitie they vtterly refuse:concerning the Latine, Greeke, and Hebrew tongues, they are altogetherignorant in them.

Euery yeere they celebrate foure seuerall fastes, which they call accordingto the names of the Saints: the first beginnes with them, at the time thatour Lent beginnes. The second is called amongst them the fast of S. Peter.The third is taken from the day of the Virgin Marie. And the fourth andlast begins vpon S. Philips day. But as we begin our Lent vpon Wednesday,so they begin theirs vpon the Sunday. Vpon the Saturday they eate flesh:whensoeuer any of those fasting feastes doe drawe neere, looke what weekedoth immediately goe before them, the same weeke they liue altogether vponwhite meates, and in their common language they call those weekes, the fastof Butter.

In the time of their fasts, the neighbours euery where goe from one toanother, and visite one another, and kisse one another with kisses ofpeace, in token of their mutuall loue and Christian concord: and then alsothey doe more often then at any other time goe to the holy Communion. Whenseuen dayes are past, from the beginning of the fast, then they doe ofteneither goe to their Churches, or keepe themselues at home, and vse oftenprayer: and for that seuennight they eate nothing but hearbes: but afterthat seuennights fast is once past, then they returne to their oldintemperancie of drinking, for they are notable tospots. As for the keepingof their fasting dayes, they doe it very streightly, neither doe they eateany thing besides hearbes, and salt fish, as long as those fasting dayesdoe endure: but vpon euery Wednesday and Friday, in euery weeke thoughoutthe yeere, they fast.

There are very many Monasteries of the order of S. Benedict, amongst them,to which many great liuings, for their maintenance, doe belong: for theFriers and the Monkes doe at the least possesse the third part of theliuings, throughout the whole Moscouite Empire. To those Monkes that are ofthis Order, there is amongst them a perpetuall prohibition, that they mayeate no flesh: and therefore their meate is onely salt fish, milke, andbutter: neither is it permitted them by the lawes, and customes of theirreligion, to eate any fresh fish at all: and at those foure fasting times,whereof we spake before, they eate no fish at all: onely they liue withhearbes, and cucumbers, which they doe continually for that purpose causeand take order to grow and spring, for their vse and diet.

As for their drinke, it is very weake, and small. For the discharge oftheir office, they do euery day say seruice, and that early in the morningsbefore day: and they doe in such sort, and with such obseruation begintheir seruice, that they will be sure to make an ende of it, before day:and about nine of the clocke in the morning they celebrate the Communion.When they haue so done, they goe to dinner, and after dinner they goeagaine to seruice, and the like also after supper: and in the meane timewhile they are at dinner there is some exposition or interpretation of theGospel vsed.

Whensoeuer any Abbot of any monasterie dieth, the Emperour taketh all hishousholde stuffe, beastes, flockes of sheepe, golde, siluer, and all thathe hath: or els hee that is to succeede him in his place and dignitie dothredeeme all those things, and buyeth them of the Emperour for money.

Their churches are built of timber, and the towers of their churches forthe most part are centered with shingle boordes. At the doores of theirchurches, they vsually build some entrance or porch as we doe, and in theirchurchyardes they erect a certain house of woode, wherein they set vp theirbels, wherein sometimes they haue but one, in some two, and in some alsothree.

There is one vse and custome amongst them, which is strange and rare, butyet it is very ridiculous, and that is this: when any man dyeth amongstthem, they take the dead body and put it in a coffine or chest, and in thehand of the corps they put a little scroule, and in the same there arethese wordes written, that the same man died a Russe of Russes, hauingreceiued the faith, and died in the same. This writing or letter they saythey send to S. Peter, who receiuing it (as they affirme) reades it, and byand by admits him into heauen, and that his glory and place is higher andgreater than the glory of the Christians of the Latine church, reputingthemselues to be followers of a more sincere faith and religion than they:they hold opinion that we are but halfe Christians, and themselues onely tobe the true and perfect church: these are the foolish and childish dotagesof such ignorant Barbarians.

Of the Moscouites that are Idolaters, dwelling neere to Tartaria.

There is a certaine part of Moscouie bordering vpon the countreys of theTartars, wherein those Moscouites that dwell are very great idolaters: theyhaue one famous idole amongst them, which they call the Golden old wife:and they haue a custome that whensoeuer any plague or any calamity dothafflict the country, as hunger, warre, or such like, then they goe toconsult with their idol, which they do after this manner: they fall downprostrate before the idol, and pray vnto it, and put in the presence of thesame, a cymbal: and about the same certaine persons stand, which are chosenamongst them by lot: vpon their cymball they place a siluer tode, and soundthe cymball, and to whomsoeuer of those lotted persons that tode goeth, heis taken, and by and by slaine: and immediately, I know not by whatillusions of the deuill or idole, he is againe restored to life, and thendoth reueale and deliuer the causes of the present calamitie. And by thismeanes knowing how to pacifie the idole, they are deliuered from theimminent danger.

Of the forme of their priuate houses, and of the apparell of the people.

The common houses of the countrey are euery where built of beames of Firretree: the lower beames doe so receiue the round hollownesse of thevppermost, that by the meanes of the building thereupon, they resist, andexpell all winds that blow, and where the timber is ioined together, therethey stop the chinks with mosse. The forme and fashion of their houses inal places is foure square, with streit and narrow windoes, whereby with atransparent casement made or couered with skinne like to parchment, theyreceiue the light The roofes of their houses are made of boords coueredwithout with ye barke of trees: within their houses they haue benches orgriezes hard by their wals, which commonly they sleepe vpon, for the commonpeople knowe not the vse of beds: they haue stoues wherein in the morningthey make a fire, and the same fire doth either moderately warme, or makevery hote the whole house.

The apparell of the people for the most part is made of wooll, their capsare picked like vnto a rike or diamond, broad beneath, and sharpe vpward.In the maner of making whereof, there is a signe and representation ofnobilitie: for the loftier or higher their caps are, the greater is theirbirth supposed to be, and the greater reuerence is giuen them by the commonpeople.

The conclusion to Queen Marie.

These are the things most excellent Queene, which your Subiects newlyreturned from Russia haue brought home concerning the state of thatcountrey: wherfore if your maiestie shall be fauourable, and grant acontinuance of the trauell, there is no doubt but that the honour andrenowne of your name will be spred amongst those nations, whereunto threeonely noble personages from the verie creation haue had accesse, to whom noman hath bene comparable.

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The copie of the Duke of Moscouie and Emperour of Russia his letters, sent to King Edward the sixt, by the hands of Richard Chancelour.

The Almighty power of God, and the incomprehensible holy Trinitie,rightfull Christian beliefe, &c. We great Duke Iuan Vasiliuich, [Marginalnote: Iuan Vasiluich, that is to say, Iohn the sonne of Basilius.] by thegrace of God great lord and Emperor of all Russia, great Duke of Volodemer,Mosco, and Nouograd, King of Kazan, King of Astracan, lord of Plesko, andgreat duke of Smolensko, of Twerria, Ioughoria, Permia, Vadska, Bulghoria,and others, lord and great duke of Nouograd in the Low countrey ofChernigo, Resan, Polotskoy, Rostoue, Yaruslaueley, Bealozera, Liefland,Oudoria, Obdoria, and Condensa, Commander of all Siberia, and of the Northparts, and lord of many other countries, greeting. Before all, right greatand worthy of honour Edward King of England &c. according to our mosthearty and good zeale with good intent and friendly desire, and accordingto our holy Christian faith, and great gouernance, and being in the lightof great vnderstanding, our answere by this our honourable writing vntoyour kingly gouernance, at the request of your faithfull seruant RichardChancelour, with his company, as they shall let you wisely know, is this.In the strength of the twentieth yeere of our gouernance, be it knowen thatat our sea coastes arriued a shippe, with one Richard, and his companie,and sayd, that hee was desirous to come into our dominions, and accordingto his request, hath seene our Maiestie, and our eyes: [Marginal note: Thatis, come into our presence.] and hath declared vnto vs your Maiestiesdesire, as that we should grant vnto your subiects, to goe and come, and inour dominions, and among our subiects, to frequent free Marts, with allsortes of marchandizes, and vpon the same to haue wares for their returne.And they haue also deliuered vs your letters, which declare the samerequest. And hereupon we haue giuen order, that wheresoeuer your faithfulseruant Hugh Willoughbie land or touch in our dominions, to be welentertained, who as yet is not arriued, as your seruant Richard candeclare.

And we with Christian beliefe and faithfulnes, and according to yourhonourable request, and my honourable commandement will not leaue itvndone: and are furthermore willing that you send vnto vs your ships andvessels, when and as often as they may haue passage, with good assurance onour part to see them harmlesse. And if you send one of your maiestiescounsel to treate with vs whereby your countrey marchants may with allkinds of wares, and where they wil make their market in our dominions, theyshall haue their free Marte with all free liberties through my wholedominions with all kinde of wares to come and goe at their pleasure,without any let, damage or impediment, according to this our letter, ourword and our seale which we haue commaunded to be vnder sealed. Written inour dominion, in our citie and our palace in the castle of Mosco, in theyeare 7060, the second moneth of February.

[This letter was written in the Moscouian tongue, in letters much like tothe Greeke letters, very faire written in paper, with a broad seale hangingat the same, sealed in paper vpon waxe. This seale was much like the broadseale of England, hauing on the one side the image of a man on horseback incompleate harnesse fighting with a dragon. Vnder this letter was anotherpaper written in the Dutch tongue, which was the interpretation of theother written in the Moscouian letters. These letters were sent the nextyere after the date of king Edwards letters, 1554.]

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The letters of king Philip and Queene Marie to Iuan Vasiliuich the Emperour of Russia written the first of April 1555 and in the second voyage.

Philip and Marie by the grace of God, King and Queene of England, France,Naples, Ierusalem, and Ireland, defenders of the faith, Princes of Spaineand Sicilie, Archdukes of Austrich, Dukes of Burgundie, Millaine, andBrabant, Counties of Haspurge, Flanders, and Tiroll: To the right High,right Mightie, and right excellent Prince, garnished with all gifts ofnature, by Gods grace Iohn Vasiliuich Emperour of all Russia, great Duke ofVolodemer, Mosco, and Nouogrod, King of Cazan, King of Astracan, Lord ofPlesco, and great Duke of Smolensko, of Tueria, Ioughoria, Permia, Vadska,Bulghoria, and others, Lorde and great Duke of Nouogrod of the loweCountrey, of Chernigo, Rezan, Polotskay, Rostoue, Yeraslaue, Bealozera,Liefland. Oudoria, Obdoria, and Condensa, Commander of all Siberia, and ofthe North partes, and lord of many other countreys, greeting. Whereas bythe consent and license of our most deare and entirely beloued latebrother, King Edward the sixt, whose soule God pardon, sundrie of oursubiects marchants of the citie of London within this our realme of Englanddid at their owne proper costs and aduenture furnish three shippes todiscouer, serch and find lands, Islands, regions, and territories beforethis aduenture not knowen, ne commonly haunted and frequented by seas. Theone of the which three shippes, named the Edward Bonauenture, (whereof ourright welbeloued Richard Chancelour was then gouernour and great Captaine)chanced by the grace of God, and the good conduct of the sayd Chancelour toarriue and winter in the North part of your Empire of Russia. Forasmuch aswe be credibly informed by the report of our trustie and welbelouedsubiect, that your Maiestie did not onely call him and certaine of hiscompany to your emperiall presence and speech, entertayned and banquetedthem with all humanitie and gentlenes but also being thereunto requestedpartly by the letters of our said brother, and partly by request of thesayd Richard Chancelour haue by your letters patents vnder your seale amongother things granted: That all such marchants as shall come forth of anieof our realms of England or Ireland with al maner of wares, if they wiltrauel or occupie within your dominions, the same marchants with theirmarchandises in al your lordship may freely, and at their libertie trauaileout and in without hindrance or any maner of losse: And of your fartherample goodnesse haue promised that our ambassadours, if wee send any, shallwith free good will passe to and from you without any hindrance or losse,with such message as shall come vnto you, and to returne the same to ourkingdomes well answered, as by the same your letters, written in yourlordly Palace and Castle of Mosco in the yeere 7063 [Footnote: Should be7060.] the moneth of Februarie, more at large appeareth. Like as wee cannotbut much commend your princely fauour and goodnesse, and in like mannerthank you for the abundant grace, extended to the sayd Richard Chancelour,and others our subiects marchants: Euen so these are to pray and requestyou to continue the same beneuolence toward them, and other our marchantsand subiects, which doe or heereafter shall resorte to your countrey: Andfor the more assurance and incouragement to trade and exercise the feate ofmarchandise with your subiects and all other marchants within yourdominions, that it may please you at this our contemplation to assigne andauthorise such Commissaries as you shall thinke meete to trade and conferrewith our welbeloued subiects and marchants, the sayd Richard Chancelour,George Killingworth, and Richard Graie, bearers of these our letters: whoare by vs authorised for that purpose: and to confirme and graunt suchother liberties and priuiledges vnto the Gouernour, Consuls, Assistants,and Communaltie of the fellowship of the saide Marchants, as the saidbearers in their name propone and require by you to be granted for theirsafe conduct, good gouernment, and order to bee erected and continued amongthem in your saide dominions; And this with such your clemencie andexpedition, as we, vpon the next arriuall of the saide Richard Chancelourmay bee enformed of your gracious disposition and answere. Which yourbeneuolences so to bee extended, wee bee minded to requite towards any yoursubiects Marchants, that shal frequent this our realme at yourcontemplation therefore to be made. Thus right high, right Excellent, andright mightie, Almightie God the Father, the Sonne and the holy Ghost haueyou in his blessed keeping. Giuen vnder our seale at our Palace ofWestminster, the first of April, in the yeere from the blessed incarnationof our Sauiour Iesus Christ, 1555. and in the first and second yeeres ofour reignes.

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Articles conceiued and determined for the Commission of the Merchants of this company residant in Russia, and at the Wardhouse, for the second voyage, 1555. the first of May, as followeth.

First, the Gouernour, Consuls, Assistants and whole company assembled thisday in open court, committeth and authorizeth Richard Gray and GeorgeKillingworth, iointly and seuerally to be Agents, Factors, and Atturneisgenerall and speciall, for the whole body of this company, to buy, sel,trucke, change and permute al, and every kind and kindes of wares,marchandises and goods to the said company appertaining, now laden andshipped in the good ship called the Edward Bonauenture, appointed forRussia, the same to vtter and sell to the best commoditie, profit andaduantage of the said corporation, be it for ready money, wares andmerchandises, or truck, presently, or for time, as occasion and benefit ofthe company shal require: and all such wares as they or either of them shalbuy, trucke, or prouide, or cause to be bought for the company to lade themhomeward in good order and condition, as by prudent course of marchandises,shall, and ought to appertaine, which article extendeth also to Iohn Brookefor the Wardhouse, as in the 17. and 18. articles of this commissionappeareth.

2. Item, it is also committed, as aboue, to the said Agents, to binde andcharge the said company by debt for wares vpon credit, as good opportunitieand occasion shal serue, with power to charge and bind the said company,and their successors, for the paiments of such things as shalbe taken vpfor credite, and the said Agents to be relieued ab opere satis dandi.

3. Item full authoritie and power is committed to the said first namedfactors, together with Richard Chancelor grand Pilot of this fleete, torepaire to the Emperors court, there to present the king and QueenesMaiesties letters, written in Greeke, Polish, and Italian, and to giue andexhibite the marchants presents at such time and place as shalbe thoughtmost expedient, they, or one of them to demand, and humbly desire of theEmperour such further grants and priuiledges to be made to this companie,as may be beneficiall for the same, to continue in traffike with hissubiects, according to such instructions as bee in this behalfe deuised anddeliuered to the Agents whereunto relation is to be had, and some one ofthese persons to attend vpon the court for the obtaining of the same, as totheir discretions shalbe thought good.

4. Item, that all the saide Agents doe well consider, ponder and weigh sucharticles as bee deliuered to them to know the natures, dispositions, lawes,customes, maners and behauiours of the people of the countries where theyshal traffike, as well of the Nobilitie as of the Lawyers, Marchants,Mariners and common people, and to note diligently the subtilties of theirbargaining, buying and selling, making as fewe debtes as possiblie may bee,and to bee circumspect, that no lawe neither of religion nor positiue beebroken or transgressed by them or any minister vnder them, ne yet by anymariner or other person of our nation, and to foresee that all tolles,customes, and such other rites be so duely paid, that no forfeiture orconfiscation may ensue to our goods either outward or inward, and that althings passe with quiet, without breach of the publike peace or commontranquilitie of any of the places where they shall arriue or traffique.

5. Item, that prouision bee made in Mosco or elsewhere, in one or mo goodtownes, where good trade shall be found for a house or houses for theAgents, and companie to inhabite and dwell at your accustomed diets, withwarehouses, sellers, and other houses of offices requisite, and that noneof the inferiour ministers of what place or vocation soeuer he be, doe lieout of the house of the Agents without licence to be giuen, and that eueryinferiour officer shalbe obedient to the orders, rules and gouernments ofthe said Agents, and in case any disobedient person shall be found amongany of them, then such person to be punished for his misbehauiour, at thediscretion of the said Agents, or of one of them in the absence of theother.

6. Item, if any person of the said ministers shall be of such pride orobstinacie, that after one or two honest admonitions, hee will not beereformed nor reconciled from his faultes, then the saide Agents to displaceeuery such person from the place or roume to him heere committed, and someother discreete person to occupie the same, as to the saide Agents by theirdiscretions shal seeme meete.

7. Item, if any person shall be found so arrogant, that he will not beordered nor reformed by the said Agents or by one of them in the absence ofthe other, then the sayde person to bee deliuered to the Iustice of thecountrey, to receiue such punishment, as the lawes of the countrey doerequire.

8. Item, that the Agents and factours shall daily one houre in the morningconferre and consult together what shall bee most conuenient and beneficialfor the companie, and such orders as they shall determine, to bee writtenby the Secretarie of the companie in a booke to bee prouided for thatpurpose, and no inferiour person to infringe and breake any such order ordeuise, but to obserue the same exactly, vpon such reasonable paine as theAgents shall put him to by discretion.

9. Item, that the said Agents shall in the ende of euerie weeke, or ofteneras occasion shall require, peruse, see, and trie, not onely the Casshers,bookes, reckonings and accounts, firming the same with their handes, butalso shall receiue and take weekly the account of euery other officer, aswell of the Vendes, as of the empteous, and also of the state of thehoushold expenses, making thereof a perfect declaration as shallappertaine, the same accounts also to bee firmed by the saide Agents hands.

10. Item, that no inferior minister shall take vpon him to make anybargains or sale of any wares, marchandises or goods, but by the Commissionand Warrantise of the sayde Agents vnder their handes, and hee not totransgresse his Commission by any way, pretense or colour.

11. Item, that euery inferiour minister, that is to vnderstand, all Clerksand yong merchants, being at the order of the saide Agents, shall ride,goe, saile and trauaile to all such place, and places, as they or hee shallbe appointed vnto by the saide Agents, and effectually to follow and do allthat which to him or them shall be committed, well and truely to the mostbenefite of the company, according to the charge to him or them committed,euen as by their othes, dueties and bondes of their masters they be boundenand charged to doe.

12. Item, that at euery moneths end, all accounts and reckonings shalbebrought into perfect order, into the Lidger or memoriall, and the decrees,orders, and rules of the Agents together with the priuileges, and copies ofletters, may and shall be well and truely written by the secretarie, insuch forme as shalbe appointed for it, and that copies of all their doingsmay be sent home with the said ship at her returne.

13. Item, that all the Agents doe diligently learne and obserue all kindeof wares, as wel naturals as forrein, that be beneficiall for this Realme,to be sold for the benefit of the company, and what kinde of ourcommodities and other things of these West partes bee most vendible inthose Realmes with profite, giuing a perfect aduise of all such thingsrequisite.

14. Item, if the Emperour will enter into bargain with you for the wholemasse of your stock, and will haue the trade of it to vtter to his ownesubiects, then debating the matter prudently among your selues, set suchhigh prises of your commodities, as you may assure your selues to begainers in your owne wares, and yet to buy theirs at such base prises, asyou may here also make a commoditie and gaine at home, hauing in yourmindes the notable charges that the companie haue diffrayed in aduancingthis voyage: and the great charges that they sustaine dayly in wages,victuals and other things: all which must bee requited by the wise handlingof this voyage, which being the first president shalbe a perpetualpresident for euer: and therefore all circumspection is to be vsed, andforeseene in this first enterprise, which God blesse and prosper vnder you,to his glorie, and the publike wealth of this Realme, whereof the QueenesMaiestie, and the Lords of the Councell haue conceiued great hope, whoseexpectations are not to be frustrated.

15. Item, it is to be had in minde, that you vse all wayes and meanespossible to learne howe men may passe from Russia, either by land or by seato Cathaia, and what may be heard of our other ships, and to what knowledgeyou may come, by conferring with the learned or well trauailed persons,either naturall or forrein, such as haue trauailed from the North to theSouth.

16. Item, it is committed to the said Agents, that if they shall becertified credibly, that any of our said first ships be arriued in anyplace whereunto passage is to be had by water or by land, that thencertaine of the company at the discretion of the Agents shall bee appointedto be sent to them, to learne their estate and condition, to visite,refresh, relieue, and furnish them with all necessaries and requisites, atthe common charges of the companie, and to imbrace, accept, and intreatthem as our deare and wel-beloued brethren of this our societie, to theirreioycing and comfort, aduertising Syr Hugh Willoughbie and others of ourcarefulnes of them and their long absence, with our desire to heare ofthem, with all other things done in their absence for their commoditie, nolesse then if they had bene present.

17. Item, it is decreed, that when the ships shal arriue at this goingfoorth at the Wardhouse, that their Agents, with master Chancelor grandpilot, Iohn Brooke, merchant, deputed for the Wardhouse, with Iohn Bucklandmaster of the Edward, Iohn Howlet master, and Iohn Robins pilot of thePhilip and Marie, shall conferre and consult together, what is mostprofitable to be done therfore for the benefit of the company, and toconsider whether they may bargaine with the captaine of the castle, and theinhabitants in that place, or alongst the coast for a large quantitie offish, drie or wet, killed by the naturals, or to be taken by our men at aprice reasonable for trucke of cloth, meale, salt, or beere, and whattraine oyle, or other commodity is to be had there at this time, or anyother season of the yeere, and whether there will be had or foundsufficient lading for both the sayd shippes, to be bought there, and howthey may conferre with the naturals for a continuance in hanting the place,if profit wil so arise to the company, and to consider whether the Edwardin her returne may receiue at the Wardhouse any kind of lading homeward,and what it may amount vnto, and whether it shall be expedient for thePhilip to abide at the Wardhouse the returne of the Edward out of Russia,or getting that she may returne with the first good wind to England,without abiding for the Edward, and so to conclude and accord certainelyamong themselues vpon their arriuall, that the certaintie may (vpon gooddeliberation) be so ordered and determined betweene both ships, that theone may be assured of the other, and their determinations to be put inwriting duplicate to remaine with ech ship, according to such order asshall be taken betweene them.

18. Item, that Iohn Brooke our marchant for the Wardhouse take good aduiseof the rest of our Agents, how to vse himselfe in al affaires, whiles theship shalbe at the Wardhouse, he to see good order to be kept, makebargains aduisedly, not crediting the people vntill their natures,dispositions and fidelities shal be well tried, make no debts, but to takeware for ware in hand, and rather be trusted then to trust. Note diligentlywhat be the best wares for those parts, and howe the fishe falleth on thecoast, and by what meane it is to bee bought at the most aduantage, whatkindes and diuersities of sortes in fishes be, and whether it will keepebetter in bulke piled, or in caske.

19. Item, he to haue a diligent eye and circumspection to the beere, salt,and other liquid wares, and not to suffer any waste to be made by thecompanie, and he in all contracts to require aduise, counsel, and consentof the master and pilot, the marchant to be our houswife, as our specialtrust is in him, he to tender that no lawes nor customes of the countrey bebroken by any of the company, and to render to the prince, and otherofficers, all that which to them doth appertaine, the company to be quiet,voide of all quarrelling, fighting, or vexation, absteine from all excesseof drinking as much as may bee, and in all to vse and behaue themselues asto quiet marchants doeth, and ought to apperteine.

20. Item, it is decreed by the companie, that the Edward shall returne homethis yeere with as much wares as may be conueniently, and profitablyprouided, bought, and laden in Russia, and the rest to be taken in at theWardhouse, as by the Agents shall be accorded. But by all meanes it is tobe foreseene and noted, that the Edward returne home, and not to winter inany forrein place, but to come home and bring with her all the wholeaduertisements of the marchants, with such further aduise for the nextyeeres prouision, as they shall giue.

21. Item, it is further decreed and ordeined, inuiolably to be obserued,that when the good ships, or either of them (by Gods grace) shall returnehome to the coastes of England, that neither of them shall stay or touch inany Hauen or Port of England, other wise then wind and weather shall serue,but shall directly saile and come to the Port of the citie of London, theplace of their right discharge, and that no bulke be broken, hatchesopened, chest, fardell, trusse, barrel, fat, or whatsoeuer thing it shallbe, be brought out of the shippe, vntill the companie shall giue order forthe same, and appoint such persons of the companie as shall be thought meetfor that purpose, to take viewe, and consider the shippe and her lading andshall giue order for the breaking vp of the saide bulke, or giue licence bydiscretion, for things to be brought to land. And that euery officer shallshewe the inuoise of his charge to him first committed, and to examine thewastes and losses, and to deliuer the remainder to the vse and benefit ofthe company, according to such order as shall be appointed in that behalfe.

22. Item, the company exhorteth, willeth, and requireth, not onely all thesaid Agents, pilots, masters, marchants, clerkes, boatswaines, stewards,skafemasters, and all other officers and ministers of this present voyage,being put in charge and trust daily to peruse, reade, and studie suchinstructions as be made, giuen, and deliuered to them for perfect knowledgeof the people of Russia, Moscouia, Wardhouse and other places, theirdispositions, maners, customes, vses, tolles, cariages, coines, weights,numbers, measures, wares, merchandises, commodities, and incommodities, theone to be accepted and imbraced, the other to be reiected and vtterlyabandoned, to the intent that euery man taking charge, may be so welltaught, perfited, and readily instructed in all the premisses, that byignorance, no losse or preiudice may grow or chance to the company:assuring themselues, that for asmuch as the company hath trauelled andlaboured so in these their instructions to them giuen, that euery man maybee perfect, and fully learned to eschew all losses, hurts and damages thatmay insue by pretence or colour of none knowledge, the company entendethnot to allow, or accept ignorance for any lawfull or iust cause of excuse,in that which shall be misordered by negligence, the burden whereof shalllight vpon the negligent offending person, especially vpon such as of theirowne heads, or temeritie, will take vpon him or them to doe or to attemptany thing, whereby preiudice may arise, without the commission of theAgents as aboue is mentioned, whereunto relation must be had.

23. Forasmuch as it is not possible to write and indite such prescribedorders, rules and commissions to the Agents and factours, but thatoccasion, time and place, and the pleasures of the princes, together withthe operation or successe of fortune shall change or shift the same,although not in the whole, yet in part, therefore the said company doecommit to you their deare and intire beloued Agents and factors to doe inthis behalfe for the commodity and wealth of this company, as by yourdirections, vpon good aduised deliberations shalbe thought good andbeneficiall. Prouided alwayes, that the honour, good name, fame, credite,and estimation of the same companie be conserued and preserued: which toconfirme we beseech the liuing Lord to his glory, the publike benefite ofthis realme, our common profits, and your praises.

Finally for the seruice, and due accomplishment of all the premisses, eueryAgent and minister of and for this voyage, hath not onely giuen a corporallothe vpon the Euangelists, to obserue, and cause to be obserued, thiscommission, and euery part, clause and sentence of the same, as much as inhim lyeth, as well for his owne part as for any other person, but also hauebounde themselues and their friendes to the companie in seuerall summes ofmoney, expressed in the actes and records of this societie, for the truethand fidelities of them, for the better, and also manifester testificationof the trueth, and of their othes, promises, and bands aforesaid, they haueto this commission subscribed particularly their seuerall hands, and thecompany also in confirmation of the same, haue set their seale. Yeuen theday, moneth, and yeeres first aboue mentioned.

The othe ministred to the seruants of the fellowship.

Ye sweare by the holy contents of that booke, that ye shal wel, faithfullyand truely, and vprightly, and with all your indeuour, serue this rightworshipfull company in that order, which by this fellowships Agent orAgents in the dominions of the Emperours of Russia, &c. shall bee vnto youcommitted, by commission, commandement, or other his direction. And thatyou shall bee obedient and faithfull to the same our Agent or Agents, andthat well, and truely and vprightly according to the commission, charge,commandement, or other direction of the said Agent or Agents to you fromtime to time giuen and to be giuen, you shall prosecute and doe all thatwhich in you lieth, for the good renowme, commoditie, benefite and profiteof the said fellowship: and you shall not directly or indirectly, openly orcouertly doe, exercise or vse any trade or feate of marchandises for yourowne priuate account, commodity, gaine or profite, or for the account of orfor any other person or persons, without consent or licence of this saidfellowship, first obtained in writing. And if you shall know or vnderstandany other person or persons to vse, exercise or doe any trade, traffike orfeat of marchandise, to or for his or their own account or accounts, at anytime or times hereafter, that then ye shall truely and plainly disclose,open, vtter and reueale, and shew the same vnto this said fellowship,without fraude, colour, couin or delay: So helpe you God, &c.

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The letter of M. George Killingworth the companies first Agent in Moscouie, touching their interteinement in their second voyage. Anno 1555. the 27. of Nouember in Mosco.

Right worshipful, my duetie, considered, &c. It may please your worship tovnderstand, that at the making hereof we all be in good health, thanks beto God, saue onely William our cooke as we came from Colmogro fell into theriver out of the boate, and was drowned. And the 11. day of September weecame to Vologda, and there we laide all our wares vp, and sold very little:but one marchant would haue giuen vs 12. robles for a broad cloth, and hesaid he would haue had them all, and 4. altines for a pound of sugar, butwe did refuse it because he was the first, and the marchants were not comethither, nor would not come before Winter, trusting to haue more: But Ifeare it will not be much better. Yet notwithstanding we did for the best.And the house that our wares lie in costs from that day vntil Easter tenrobles. And the 28. day of September we did determine with our selues thatit was good for M. Gray, Arthur Edwards, Thomas Hautory, ChristopherHudson, Iohn Segewicke, Richard Ionson, and Richard Iudde, to tarie atVologda, and M. Chancelor, Henry Lane, Edward Prise, Robert Best and Ishould goe to Mosco. And we did lade the Emperours suger, with part of allsorts of wares to haue had to the Mosco with vs, but the way was so deepe,that we were faine to turne back, and leaue is stil at Vologda till thefrost. And we went forth with poste horse, and the charge of euery horsebeing stil ten in number, comes to 10 s. 7 d. halfe penie, besides theguides. And we came to the Mosco the 4. day of October, and were lodgedthat night in a simple house: but the next day we were sent for to theEmperour his secretarie, and he bade vs welcome with a cheerefullcountenance and cheerefull wordes, and wee shewed him that we had a letterfrom our Queenes grace to the Emperour his grace, and then he desired tosee them all, and that they might remain with him, to haue them perfect,that the true meaning might be declared to the Emperour, and so we did: andthen we were appointed to a better house: and the seuenth day the secretarysent for vs againe, and then he shewed vs that we should haue a betterhouse: for it was the Emperour his will, that we should haue all thingsthat we did lacke, and did send vs meade of two sorts, and two hens, ourhouse free, and euery two dayes to receiue eight hens, seven altines, andtwo pence in money, and meade a certaine, and a poore fellow to make cleaneour house, and to doe that wherunto we would set him. And wee had giuenmany rewards before, which you shal perceiue by other, and so we gaue themessengers a reward with thanks: and the ninth day we were sent to make vsreadie to speak, with the Emperour on the morow. And the letters were sentvs, that wee might deliuer them our selues, and we came before him thetenth day: and before we came to his presence we went thorow a greatchamber, where stood many small tunnes, pailes, bowles and pots of siluer,I meane, like washing bowles, all parsel gilt: and within that anotherchamber, wherein sate (I thinke) neere a hundred in cloth of gold, and theninto the chamber where his grace sate, and there I thinke were more then inthe other chamber also in cloth of gold, and we did our duety, and shewedhis grace our Queenes graces letters, with a note of your present which wasleft in Vologda: and then his grace did aske how our Queenes grace did,calling her cousin, saying that hee was glad that wee were come in healthinto his Realme, and we went one by one vnto him, and tooke him by thehand, and then his grace did bid vs goe in health, and come to dinneragaine, and we dined in his presence, and were set with our faces towardshis grace, and none in the chamber sate with their backes towards him,being I thinke neere a hundred at dinner then, and all serued with golde,as platters, chargers, pottes, cuppes, and all not slender but very massy,and yet a great number of platters of golde, standing still on thecupboord, not moued: and diuers times in the dinner time his grace sent vsmeat and drinke from his owne table, and when we had dined we went vp tohis grace, and receiued a cuppe with drinke at his owne hand, and the samenight his grace sent certaine gentlemen to us with diuers sortes of wineand mede, to whome wee gaue a rewarde. And afterwarde we were by diuersItalians counselled to take heed whom we did trust to make the copie of thepriuiledges that we would desire to haue, for feare it should not bewritten in the Russie tongue, as we did meane. So first a Russian did writefor us a breuiat to the Emperor, the tenour wherof was, that we did desirea stronger priuilege: and when the Secretary saw it, he did deliuer it tohis grace, and when we came againe, his grace willed vs to write our minds,and hee would see it, and so we did. And his grace is so troubled withpreparations to warres, that as yet wee haue no answere: but we haue bynrequired of his Secretary, and of the vnder Chancelor, to know what wareswe had brought into the Realme, and what wares we doe intend to haue, thatare, or may bee had in this Realme: and we shewed them, and they shewed theEmperor therof. And then they said his graces pleasure was, that his bestmarchants of the Mosco should be spoken to, to meet and talk with vs. Andso a day was appointed, and wee mette in the Secretarie his office, andthere was the vnder Chancelor, who was not past two yeeres since theEmperors marchant, and not his Chancelour: and then the conclusion of ourtalke was, that the Chancelour willed vs to bethinke vs, where we woulddesire to haue a house or houses, that wee might come to them as to ourowne house, and for marchandize to be made preparation for vs, and theywould know our prises of our wares and frise: and we answered, that for ourprices they must see the wares before we coulde make any price thereof, forthe like in goodnesse hath not bene brought into the Realme, and we didlooke for an example of all sorts of our wares to come from Vologda, withthe first sledway, and then they should see them, and then we would shewthem the prices of them: and likewise we could not tell them what we wouldgiue them iustly, till we did knowe as well their iust weights as theirmeasures: for in all places where we did come, al weights and measures didvary. Then the Secretary (who had made promise vnto vs before) saide, thatwe should haue all the iust measures vnder seale, and he that was foundfaulty in the contrary, to buy or sel with any other measure then that, thelaw was, that he should be punished: he said moreouer, that if it so happenthat any of our marchants do promise by couenant at any time to deliuer youany certain sum of wares in such a place, and of such like goodnesse, atsuch a day, for such a certaine price, and then because of variance, weshould cause it to be written, according as the bargain is, before aiustice or the next ruler to the place: if he did not keepe couenant andpromise in all points, according to his couenant, that then looke whatlosse or hinderance we could iustly proue that we haue therby, he shouldmake it good if he be worth so much: and in like case we must do to them:and to that we did agree, saue onely if it were to come ouer the sea, thenif any such fortune should bee (as God forbid) that the ship shouldmischance or be robbed, and the proofe to be made that such kind of wareswere laden, the English marchants to beare no losse to the other marchant.Then the Chancelor said, me thinks you shall do best to haue your house atColmogro, which is but 100. miles from the right discharge of the ships,and yet I trust the ships shall come neerer hereafter, because the shipsmay not tary long for their lading, which is 1000. miles from Vologda bywater, and all our marchants shall bring all our marchandize to Colmogro toyou, and so shall our marchants neither go empty nor come empty: for ifthey lacke lading homeward, there is salt, which is good ware here, thatthey may come loden againe. So we were very glad to heare that, and didagree to his saying: for we shal neuerthelesse, if we lust, haue a house atVologda, and at the Mosco, yea, and at Nouogrode, or where we wil inRusland: but the three and twentieth of this present we were with theSecretary, and then among other talke, we moued, that if we should tary atColmogro with our wares, and should not come to Vologda, or further toseeke our market, but tary still at Colmogro, and then the merchants of theMosco and others should not come and bring their wares, and so the shipsshould come, and not haue their lading ready, that then it were a greatlosse and hinderance for vs: then saide hee againe to vs, that themarchants had beene againe together with him, and had put the like doubt,that if they should come and bring their wares to Colmogro, and that theyshould not find wares there sufficient to serue them, that then they shouldbe at great losse and hinderance, they leauing their other trades to fal tothat: and to that we did answere, that after the time that we do appointwith them to bring their wares to Colmogro, God willing, they should neuercome thither, but at the beginning of the yere, they should find that ourmarchants would haue at the least for a thousand robles, although the shipswere not come: so that he saide, that then wee must talke further with themarchants: so that as yet I know not, but that we shall haue neede of onehouse at Colmogro, and another at Vologda, and that if they bring not theirwares to Colmogro, then wee shalbe sure to buy some at Vologda, and to beout of bondage.

And thus may we continue three or foure yeeres, and in this space we shallknow the countrey and the marchants, and which way to saue our selues best,and where to plant our houses, and where to seeke for wares: for the Moscois not best for any kind of wares for vs to buy, saue onely waxe, which wecannot haue vnder seuen pence the Russe pound, and it lackes two ounces ofour pound, neither will it be much better cheape, for I haue bidden 6.pence for a pound. And I haue bought more, fiue hundred weight of yarne,which stands mee in eight pence farthing the Russe pound one with another.And if we had receiued any store of money, and were dispatched heere ofthat we tarry for, as I doubt not but we shalbe shortly (you know what Imeane) then as soone as we haue made sale, I doe intend to goe to Nouogrodeand to Plesco, whence all the great number of the best tow flaxe, cometh,and such wares as are there I trust to buy part. And feare you not but wewill do that may be done, if God send vs health, desiring you to preparefully for one ship to be ready in the beginning of April to depart off thecoast of England.

Concerning all those things which we haue done in the wares, you shalreceiue a perfect note by the next bearer (God willing) for he that carieththese from vs is a marchant of Terwill and he was caused to cary these bythe commandement of the Emperour his secretarie, whose name is IuanMecallawich Weskawate, whom we take to be our very friend. And if it pleaseyou to send any letters to Dantiske to Robert Elson, or to William Watson'sseruant Dunstan Walton to be conueyed to vs, it may please you to incloseours in a letter sent from you to him, written in Polish, Dutch, Latine, orItalian: so inclosed, comming to the Mosco to his hands, he wil conuey ourletters to vs wheresoeuer we be. And I haue written to Dantiske already tothem for the conueyance of letters from thence.

And to certifie you of the weather here, men say that these hundred yeereswas neuer so warme weather in this countrey at this time of the yeere. Butas yesternight wee receiued a letter from Christopher Hudson [Footnote: Mr.John M. Read, in his "Historical Enquiry respecting Henry Hudson," printedby the Clarendon Historical Society, is of opinion that both ChristopherHudson and the Henry Hudson named in Queeu Mary's Charter as one of thefounders of the Muscovy Company, were related to the discoverer of DelawareBay. (Clarendon Hist. Soc. Reprints, Series I. p. 149.)] from a citiecalled Yeraslaue, who is comming hither with certaine of our wares, but thewinter did decieue him, so that he was faine to tarie by the way: and hewrote that the Emperours present was deliuered to a gentleman at Vologda,and the sled did ouerthrow, and the butte of Hollocke was lost, which madevs all very sory.

I pray you be not offended with these my rude letters for lacke of time:but assoone as sales be made, I will finde the meanes to conuey you aletter with speed: for the way is made so doubtful, that the rightmessenger is so much in doubt, that he would not haue any letters of anyeffect sent by any man, if he might, for he knowes not of these: and to saythe truth, the way is not for him to trauell in. But I will make anothershift beside, which I trust shall serue the turne till he come, if sales bemade before he be readie, which is and shall be as pleaseth God: who euerpreserue your worship, and send us good sales. Written in haste.

By yours to commaund

GEORGE KILLINGWORTHDraper.

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(George Killingworth was furnished with a copy of the following notice of the coines, weights and measures vsed in Russia, written by Iohn Hasse, in the yeere, 1554:--)

Forasrauch as it is most necessary for al marchants which seeks to hauetraffique in any strange regions, first to acquaint themselues with thecoines of those lands with which they do intend to ioyne in traffique, andhow they are called from the valuation of the highest piece to the lowest,and in what sort they make their paiments, as also what their commonweights and measures be: for these causes I haue thought good to writesomething thereof according to mine owne knowledge and experience, to theend that, the marchants of that new aduenture, may the better vnderstandhow the wealth of that new frequented trade will arise.

First, it is to be noted that the Emperour of Russia hath no other coinesthen siluer in all his land, which goeth for paiment amongst merchants, yetnotwithstanding there is a coine of copper, which serueth for the reliefeof the poore in Mosco, and no where els, and that is but only for quasse,water and fruit, as nuts, apples, and such other like. The name of whichmoney is called Pole or Poles of which Poles there goe to the least of thesiluer coines, 18. But I will not stand vpon this, because it is no currantmoney among marchants.

Of siluer coines there be three sortes of pieces: the least is a Poledenga,the second a Denga, the third, Nowgrote, which is as much to say in Englishas halfepenie, penie and twopence, and for other valued money then this,there is none: there are oftentimes there coines of gold, but they come outof forrein countreys, whereof there is no ordinarie valuation, but theypasse according to the agreement of marchants.

Their order in summing of money is this: as we say in England, halfpenie,penie, shilling, and pound, so say they Poledenga, Denga, Altine andRubble: there goeth two Poledengas to a Denga, six Dengaes to an Altine,and 23 Altines, and two Dengaes to a Rubble.

Concerning the weights of Russia they are these: There are two sortes ofpounds in vse amongst them, the one great, the other small: the great poundis iust two small pounds: they call the great weight by the name ofBeasemar, and the smal they call the Skalla weight: with this smal weightthey weigh their siluer coines, of the which the Emperor hath commanded toput to euery small pound three Rubbles of siluer, and with the same weightthey weigh all Grocerie wares, and almost al other wares which come intothe land, except those which they weigh by the Pode, as hops, salt, iron,lead, tinne and batrie with diuers others, notwithstanding they vse toweigh batrie more often by the small weight then by the great.

Whensoever you find the prices of your wares rated by the Pode, considerthat to the great weight, and the pound to be the small. Also they dividethe small pound into 48 parts, and they call the eight and fortieth part aSlotnike, by the which Slotnike the retailers sell their wares out of theirshops, as Goldsmiths, Grocers, Silkesellers, and such other like as we doevse to retaile by the ounce: and as for their great weight which they calthe Beasemar, they sel by pode or shippond. The pode doth containe of thegreat weight, 40 pounds, and of the small 80; there goe 10. podes to ashippond.

Yet you must consider that their great weight is not full with ours: for Itake not their great pound to be full 13 ounces, but aboue 12 I thinke itbe. But for your iust proofe, weigh 6 Rubbles of Russia money with ourpound weight, and then shal you see what it lacketh: for 6 Rubbles ofRussia is by the Emperors standerd, the great pound: so that I thinke itthe next way to know the iust weight, as well of the great pound as of thesmall.

There is another weight needfull to be knowen, which is the weight ofWardhouse, for so much as they weigh all their drie fish by weight, whichweight is the Baesemar, as they of Russia doe vse, notwithstanding there isanother sorte in it: the names of those weights are these: the marke pound,the great pound, the weie, and the shippond. The marke pound is to bevnderstood as our pound, and their great pound is 24 of their marke pound:the weie is 3 great pound, and 8 weie is a shippound.

Now concerning their measures. As they haue two sortes of weights, so theyhaue also two sortes of measures: wherewith they measure cloth both linnenand wollen: they cal the one an Areshine, and the other a Locut: theAreshine I take to bee as much as the Flanders ell, and their Locut halfean English yard: with their Areshine they may mete all such sorts ofclothes as come into the land, and with the Locut all such cloth bothlinnen and wollen, as they make themselues. And whereas we vse to giue yardand inch, or yard and handfull, they do giue nothing but bare measure.

They haue also measure wherewith they doe mete their corne, which they cala Setforth, and the halfe of that an Osmine: this Setforth I take to beethree bushels of London measure. And as for their drinke measure, they callit a Spanne, which is much like a bucket, and of that I neuer saw any truerate, but that some was greater then other some. And as for the measures ofWardhouse wherewith they mete their cloth, there is no difference betweenthat and the measure of Danske, which is halfe an English ell.

Concerning the tolles and customs of Russia, it was reported to me inMoscouia, that the Turkes and Armenians pay the tenth penie custome of allthe wares they bring into the Emperors land, and aboue that they pay forall such goods as they weigh at the Emperours beame, two pence of theRubble, which the buyer or seller must make report to the Master of thebeame: they also pay a certaine horse toll, which is in diuers places ofhis Realme four pence of a horse.

The Dutch nation are free of this: notwithstanding for certaine offences,they had lost their priuiledges which they haue recouered this Summer totheir great charge. It was reported to me by a Iustice of that countrey,that they paied for it thirtie thousand Rubbles, and also that Rye, Dorpteand Reuel haue yeelded themselues vnder the gouernment of the Emperor ofRussia: whether this was a bragge of the Russes or not, I know not, butthus he sayd, and in deed whiles we were there, there came a greatAmbassadour out of Liefland, for the assurance of their priuiledges.

To speake somewhat of the commodities of this countrey, it is to bevnderstood, that there is a certaine place foure score miles from the Seacalled Colmogro: to which place there resorte all the sortes of Wares thatare in the North parts, as Oyles, Salt, Stockefish, Salmon, Fethers andFurres: their Salt they make of saltwater by the sea side: their Oyles theymake of Seales, whereof they haue great store which is brought out of theBay where our shippes came in: they make it in the Spring of the yeere, andbring it to Colmogro to sell, and the marchants there carie it toNouogrode, and so sell it to the Dutch nation. Their Stockefish and Salmoncommeth from a place called Mallums, not farre from Warehouse: their Salmonand their Salt they carrie to Mosco, and their drie fish they carrie toNouogrode, and sell it there to the Lieflanders.

The Furres and Fethers which come to Colmogro, as Sables, Beauers, Minkes,Armine, Lettis, Graies, Wooluerings, and white Foxes, with Deere skinnes,they are brought thither, by the men of Penninge, Lampas, and Powstezer,which fetch them from the Sarnoedes that are counted sauage people: and themerchants that bring these Furres doe vse to trucke with the marchants ofColmogro for Cloth, Tinne, Batrie, and such other like, and the merchantsof Colmogro carie them to Nouogrode, Vologda, or Mosco, and sell themthere. The Fethers which come fom Penning they doe little esteeme.

If our marchants do desire to know the meetest place of Russia for thestanding house, in mine opinion I take it to be Vologda, which is a greattowne standing in the heart of Russia, with many great and good towns aboutit. There is great plenty of corne, victuals, and of all such wares as areraised in Rusland, but specially, flaxe, hempe, tallow and bacon: there isalso great store of waxe, but it commeth from the Mosko.

The towne of Vologda is meetest for our marchants, because it lieth amongstall the best towns of Russia, and there is no towne in Russia but tradeswith it: also the water is a great commoditie to it. If they plantthemselues in Mosco or Nouogrode their charge will be great and wonderfull,but not so in Vologda: for all things will there be had better cheape bythe one half. And for their vent, I know no place so meet. It is likelythat some will think the Mosko to be the meetest by the reason of thecourt, but by that reason I take it to be woorse: for the charge therewould be so great by crauers and expenses, that the moitie of the profitewould bee wholly consumed, which in the other place will be saved. And yetnotwithstanding our marchants may bee there in the Winter to serue theEmperour and his court. The Emperour is a great marchant himselfe of waxeand sables, which with good foresight may bee procured to their hands: asfor other commodities there are little or none in Moscovia, besides thoseaboue rehearsed: if there bee other, it is brought thither by the Turkes,who will be daintie to buy our clothes considering the charges of cariageouer land.

Our marchants may doe well to prouide for the Russes such wares as theDutch nation doeth serue them of, as Flanders and Holland clothes, which Ibeleeue, they shal serue better and with lesse charge than they of Rye orDorpt, or Reuel: for it is no smal aduenture to bring their clothes out ofFlanders to either of these places, and their charge not litle to cary themouer lande to Nouogrode, which is from Rye nine hundred Russian miles.

This Nouogrode is a place wel furnished with flaxe, Waxe, Hides, tallow andmany other things: the best flaxe in Russia is brought thither, and there,sold by the hundred bundles, which is done also at Vologda, and they thatbring the flaxe to Nouogrode, dwell as neere Vologda, as Nouogrode, andwhen they heare of the vtterance which they may haue with our nation, theywill as willingly come to them as goe to other.

They haue in Russia two sortes of flaxe, the one is called great flaxe, andthe other small: that which they call great flaxe is better by fourerubbles in 100. bundels than the small: It is much longer than the other,and cleaner without wood: and whereas of the small flaxe there goe 27. or28. bundles to a shippound, there goeth not of the greater sort aboue 22.or 24. at the most. There are many other trifles in Russia, as sope, mats,&c. but I thinke there will bee no great account made of them.

* * * * *

A copie of the first Priuileges graunted by the Emperour of Russia to the English Marchants in the yeere 1555.

Iohn Vasiliuich, by the grace of God Emperor of Russia, great duke ofNouogrode, Moscouia, &c. To all people that shall see, reade, heare orvnderstand these presents, greeting. Forasmuch as God hath planted alrealmes and dominions in the whole world with sundry commodities, so as theone hath neede of the amity and commodities of the other, and by meansthereof traffike is vsed from one to another, and amity therby increased:and for that as amongst men nothing is more to be desired than amity,without the which no creature being of a naturall good disposition can liuein quietnes, so that it is as troublesome to be vtterly wanting, as it isperceiued to be grieuous to the body to lacke aire, fire, or any othernecessaries most requisite for the conseruation and maintenance thereof inhealth: considering also how needfull marchandize is, which furnisheth menof all that which is conuenient for their liuing and nouriture, for theirclothing, trimming, the satisfying of their delights, and all other thingsconuenient and profitable for them, and that marchandize bringeth the samecommodities from diuers quarters in so great abundance, as by meanesthereof, nothing is lacking in any part, and that all things be in eueryplace (where entercourse of marchandizes is receiued and imbraced)generally in such sort, as amity thereby is entred into, and planted tocontinue, and the inioyers thereof be as men liuing in a golden world: Vponthese respects and other weighty and good considerations, vs hereuntomouing, and chiefly vpon the contemplation of the gracious letters,directed from the right high, right excellent, and right mighty QueeneMary, by the grace of God Queene of England, France, &c. in the fauour ofher subiects, merchants, the gouernour, consuls, assistants, andcommunaltie of merchants aduenturers for discouery of lands, &c.

Know ye therefore, that we of our grace speciall, meere motion, andcertaine knowledge, have giuen and graunted, and by these presents for vs,our heires and successours, do giue and graunt as much as in vs is andlieth, vnto Sebastian Cabota Gouernour, Sir George Barnes knight, &c.Consuls: Sir Iohn Gresham, &c. Assistants, and to the communaltie of theaforenamed fellowship, and to their successours for euer, and to thesuccessours of euerie of them, these articles, graunts, immunities,franchises, liberties and priuileges, and euery of them hereafterfollowing, expressed and declared. Videlicet:

1. First, we for vs, our heires and successors, do by these presents giueand graunt free licence, facultie, authority and power vnto the saidGouernour, Consuls, Assistants, and communalty of the said fellowship, andto their successors for euer, that all and singular the marchants of thesame company, their Agents, factours, doers of their businesse, atturneys,seruants, and ministers, and euery of them may at all times hereafter foreuer more surely, freely and safely, with their shippes, merchandizes,goods and things whatsoeuer saile, come and enter into all and singular ourlands, countreis, dominions, cities, townes, villages, castles, portes,iurisdictions, and destraicts by sea, land or fresh waters, and there tary,abide and soiourne, and buy, sell, barter and change all kind ofmerchandizes with al maner of marchants and people, of whatsoeuer nation,rite, condition, state or degrees they be, and with the same or otherships, wares, marchandizes, goods and things whatsoeuer they be, vnto otherempires, kingdomes, dukedomes, parts, and to any other place or places attheir pleasure and liberty by sea, land or fresh waters may depart, andexercise all kinde of merchandizes in our empire and dominions, and euerypart thereof freely and quietly without any restraint, impeachment, price,exaction, prest, straight custome, toll, imposition, or subsidie to bedemanded, taxed or paid, or at any time hereafter to be demanded, taxed,set, leuied or inferred vpon them or any of them, or vpon their goods,ships, wares, marchandizes, and things, of, for or vpon any part or parcellthereof, or vpon the goods, ships, wares, merchandizes, and things of anyof them, so that they shall not need any other safe conduct or licencegenerall, ne speciall of vs, our heires or successours, neither shall bebound to aske any safe conduct or licence in any of the aforesaid placessubiect vnto vs.

2. Item, we giue and graunt, to the said marchants this power and liberty,that they, ne any of them, ne their goods, wares, marchandizes or things,ne any part thereof, shal be by any meanes within our dominions, landes,countreyes, castles, townes, villages, or other place or places of ouriurisdiction, at any time heereafter attached, staied, arrested nedisturbed for anie debt, duetie or other thing, for the which they be notprincipall debters or sureties, ne also, for any offence or trespassecommitted, or that shall be committed, but onely for such as they or any ofthem shall actually commit, and the same offences (if any such happen,)shall bee by vs onely heard, and determined.

3. Item, we giue and graunt, that the said Marchants shal and may haue freelibertie, power and authoritie to name, choose and assigne brokers,shippers, packers, weighers, measurers, wagoners, and all other meet andnecessary laborers for to serue them in their feat of marchandises, andminister and giue vnto them and euery of them a corporall othe, to seruethem well and truely in their offices, and finding them or any of themdoing contrary to his or their othe, may punish and dismisse them, and fromtime to time choose, sweare, and admit other in their place or places,without contradiction, let, vexation or disturbance, either of vs, ourheires or successors, or of any other our Iustices, officers, ministers orsubiects whatsoeuer.

4. Item, we giue and graunt vnto the saide Marchants and their successours,that such person as is, or shalbe commended vnto vs, our heires orsuccessours by the Gouernour, Consuls and assistants of the said fellowshipresidant within the citie of London within the realme of England, to betheir chiefe Factor within this our empire and dominions, may and shal haueful power and authoritie to gouerne and rule all Englishmen that haue had,or shall haue accesse, or repaire in or to this said Empire andiurisdictions, or any part thereof, and shal and may minister vnto them,and euery of them good iustice in all their causes, plaints, quarrels, anddisorders between them moued, and to be moued, and assemble, deliberate,consult, conclude, define, determine, and make such actes, and ordinances,as he so commended with his Assistants shall thinke good and meete for thegood order, gouernment and rule of the said Marchants, and all otherEnglishmen repairing to this our saide empire or dominions, or any partthereof, and to set and leuie vpon all, and euery Englishman, offender oroffenders, of such their acts and ordinances made, and to be made,penalties and mulcts by fine and imprisonment.

5. Item, if it happen that any of the saide Marchants, or other Englishmen,as one or more doe rebell against such chiefe Factor or Factors, or his ortheir deputies, and will not dispose him or themselues to obey them andeuery of them as shall appertaine if the saide Rebels or disobedients doecome, and bee founde in our our saide Empire and iurisdictions, or any partand place thereof, then wee promise and graunt, that all and euery ourofficers, ministers, and subiects shall effectually ayde and assist thesaide chiefe Factour or Factours, and their deputies, and for their powershall really woorke, to bring such rebell or disobedient rebels, ordisobedients to due obedience: and to that intent shall tende vnto the sameFactour or Factours, and their deputies vpon request therefore, to be made,prisons, and instruments for punishments from time to time.

6. Item, we promise vnto the saide Marchants, and their sucessours, vpontheir request to exhibite and doe vnto them good, exact and fauourableiustice, with expedition in all their causes, and that when they or any ofthem shall haue accesse, or come to or before any of our Iustices, for anytheir plaints mooued, and to bee mooued betweene any our subiects or otherstranger, and them, or any of them, that then they shalbe first andforthwith heard, as soon as the party which they shal find before ourIustices shalbe depeached, which party being heard forthwith, and assooneas may be, the said English marchants shall be ridde and dispatched: And ifany action shall be moued by or against any of the said Marchants beingabsent out of our saide empire and dominions, then such Marchants maysubstitute an Atturney in all and singular his causes to be followed asneed shall require, and as shall seeme to him expedient.

7. Item, wee graunt and promise to the saide Marchants, and to theirsuccessours, that if the same Marchants or any of them shall bee wounded,or (which God forbid) slaine in any part or place of our Empire ordominions, then good information thereof giuen, Wee and our Iustices andother officers shall execute due correction and punishment without delay,according to the exigence of the case: so that it shall bee an example toall other not to commit the like. And if it shall chaunce the factors,seruants, or ministers of the saide Marchants or any of them to trespasseor offende, whereby they or any of them shall incurre the danger of deathor punishment, the goods, wares, marchandizes, and things of their Mastersshall not therefoore bee forfaited, confiscated, spoiled ne seised by anymeanes by vs, our heires or successours, or by any our officers, ministersor subiects, but shall remaine to their vse, franke, free, and dischargedfrom all punishment and losse.

8. Item, we graunt that if any of the English nation be arrested for anydebt, he shal not be laid in prison, so farre as he can put in sufficientsuretie and pawne: neither shall any sergeant, or officer leade them or anyof them to prison, before he shall have knowen whether the chiefe Factor orfactors, or their deputies shalbe sureties, or bring in pawne for sucharrested: then the officers shal release the partie, and shall set him orthem at libertie.

9. Moreouer, we giue, graunt and promise to the saide Marchants, that ifany of their ships or other vessels shall bee spoyled, robbed, or damnifiedin sayling, anckoring or returning to or from our saide Empires andDominions, or any part thereof, by any Pirats, Marchants, or other person,whatsoeuer hee or they bee, that then and in such case, wee will doe allthat in vs is to cause restitution, reparation, and satisfaction to beeduely made to the said English marchants by our letters and otherwise, asshall stand with our honour, and be consonant to equitie and iustice.

10. Item, for vs, our heires and successours, wee doe promise and graunt toperforme, mainteine, corroborate, autenticate and obserue all and singularthe aforesaide liberties, franchises, and priuiledges, like as presently wefirmely doe intend, and will corroborate, autentike and performe the sameby all meane and way that we can, as much as may be to the commoditie andprofite of the said English Marchants, and their successours for euer.

And to the intent that all and singuler the saide giftes, graunts andpromises, may bee inuiolably obserued and performed, we the said IohnVasiliuich by the grace of God Emperor of Russia, great Duke of Nouogrode,Mosco, &c. for vs, our heires and successors, by our Imperiall and lordlyword in stead of an othe, haue and doe promise by these presents,inuiolably to mainteyne and obserue, and cause to be inuiolably obseruedand mainteined all and singuler the aforesayde giftes, graunts and promisesfrom time to time, and at all and euery time and times heereafter. And forthe more corroboration hereof haue caused our Signet hereunto to be put:Dated in our Castle of Mosco the 20. day of * * * in the yeere * * *.

* * * * *

The Charter of the Marchants of Russia, graunted vpon the discouerie of the saide Countrey by King Philip and Queene Marie.

Philip and Marie, by the grace of God King and Queene, &c. To all manner ofofficers, true Iurie men, ministers and subiects, and to all other peopleas well within this our Realme or elsewhere vnder our obeysance,iurisdiction, and rule, or otherwise vnto whome these our letters shall beeshewed, seene, or read, greeting.

Whereas wee be credibly informed that our right trusttie, right faithfull,and welbeloued Counsailors, William Marques of Winchester Lord highTreasurer of this our Realme of England, Henrie Earle of Arundel LordSteward of our housholde, Iohn Earle of Bedford Lord keeper of our priuieSeale, William Earle of Pembroke, William Lorde Howard of Effingham Lordehigh Admirall of our saide Realme of England, &c. Haue at their ownaduenture, costs and charges, prouided, rigged, and tackled certaine ships,pinnesses, and other meete vessels, and the same furnished with all thingsnecessary haue aduanced and set forward, for to discouer, descrie, andfinde Isles, landes, territories, Dominions, and Seigniories vnknowen, andby our subiects before this not commonly by sea frequented, which by thesufferance and grace of Almightie God, it shall chaunce them sailingNorthwards, Northeastwards, and Northwestwards, or any partes thereof, inthat race or course which other Christian Monarches (being with vs inleague and amitie) haue not heeretofore by Seas traffiqued, haunted, orfrequented, to finde and attaine by their said aduenture, as well for theglorie of God, as for the illustrating of our honour and dignitie royall,in the increase of the reuenues of our Crowne, and generall wealth of thisand other our Realmes and Dominions, and of our subiects of the same: Andto this intent our subiects aboue specified and named, haue most humblybeseeched vs, that our abundant grace, fauour and clemencie may begratiously extended vnto them in this behalfe: whereupon wee inclined tothe petition of the foresaide our Counsailours, subiects and marchants, andwilling to animate, aduance, further and nourish them in their said godlie,honest, and good purpose, and, as we hope, profitable aduenture, and thatthey may the more willingly, and readily atchieue the same. Of ourespeciall grace, certaine knowledge and meere motion, haue graunted, and bythese presents doe graunt, for vs, our heires and successours, vnto oursaid right trustie, and right faithfull, and right wel belouedCounsailours, and the other before named persons, that they by the name ofmarchants aduenturers of England, for the discouery of lands, territories,Iles, Dominions, and Seigniories vnknowen, and not before that lateaduenture or enterprise by sea or Nauigation, commonly frequented asaforesaid, shalbe from henceforth one bodie and perpetuall fellowship andcommunaltie of themselues, both in deede and in name, and them, by thenames of Marchants aduenturers for the discouerie of lands, territories,Iles and seigniories vnknowen, and not by the seas, and Nauigations, beforetheir saide late aduenture or enterprise by sea or Nauigation commonlyfrequented, We doe imcorporate, name, and declare by these presents, andthat the same fellowship or communalty from henceforth shalbe, and may haueone Gouernour of the saide fellowship, and communaltie of Marchantsaduenturers.

And in consideration that one Sebastian Cabota hath bin the chiefest setterforth of this iourney or voyage, therefore we make, ordeine, and constitutehim the said Sebastian to be the first and present gouernour of the samefellowship and communaltie, by these presents. To haue and enioy the saidoffice of Gouernour, to him the said Sebastian Cabota during his naturalllife, without amouing or dismissing from the same roome.

And furthermore, we graunt vnto the same fellowship and communaltie andtheir successors, that they the saide fellowship and communaltie, and theirsuccessors after the decease of the saide Sebastian Cabota, shall, and mayfreely and lawfully in places conuenient and honest, assemble themseluestogether, or so many of them as will or can assemble together, as wellwithin our citie of London, or elsewhere, as it shall please them, in suchsort and maner, as other worshipfull corporations of our saide citie hauevsed to assemble, and there yeerely name, elect and choose one Gouernour ortwo of themselues, and their liberties, and also as well yeerely during thenatural life of the said Sebastian Cabota now Gouernour, as also at theelection of such saide Gouernour or gouernours before his decease, tochoose, name, and appoint eight and twentie of the most sad, discreete, andhonest persons of the saide fellowship, and communaltie of Marchantaduenturers, as is aboue specified, and 4. of the most expert and skilfullpersons of the same 28. to be named and called Consuls, and 24. of theresidue, to be named and called Assistants to the saide Gouernour orgouernours, and Consuls for the time being, which shal remaine and stand intheir authorities for one whole yeere then next following. And if it shallfortune the saide Gouernour, Consuls, and assistants, or any of them so tobe elected, and chosen as is aforesaid, to die within the yeere after hisor their election, that then and so often, it shall and may be lawfull toand for the said fellowship, and communalty, to elect and choose ofthemselues other Gouernour or gouernours, Consuls and assistants, in theplace and steade of such as so shall happen to die, to serue out the sameyeere.

And further we do make, ordeine, and constitute George Barnes knight andAlderman of our Citie of London, William Garret Alderman of our saideCitie, Anthonie Husie, and Iohn Suthcot, to be the first and present 4.Consuls of the said fellowship and communalty by these presents, to haueand enioy the said offices of Consuls to them the said George Barnes,William Garret, Anthony Husie, and Iohn Suthcot, for terme of one wholeyere next after the date of these our letters patents: And we doe likewisemake, ordeine and constitute Sir Iohn Gresham knight, Sir Andrew Iuddeknight, Sir Thomas White knight, Sir Iohn Yorke knight, Thomas Offley theelder, Thomas Lodge, Henry Herdson, Iohn Hopkins, William Watson, Will.Clifton, Richard Pointer, Richard Chamberlaine, William Mallorie, ThomasPallie the elder, William Allen, Henry Becher, Geffrey Walkenden, RichardFowles, Rowland Heyward, George Eaton, Iohn Ellot, Iohn Sparke, BlaseSanders, and Miles Mording, to be the first and present 24. Assistants tothe saide Gouernour or governours, and Consuls, and to the said fellowshipand communaltie by these presents, to haue and enioy the said offices ofassistants to them for terme of one whole yere, next after the date ofthese our letters-patents. And further, we for vs, our heires andsuccessors, as much as in vs is, wil and graunt by these presents vnto thesaide Gouernour, Consuls, assistants, fellowship and company of Marchantsaduenturers aforesaid, and to their successors, that the said gouernour orgouernours, 4. Consuls, and 24. assistants, that now by these patents arenominated and appointed, or that hereafter by the saide fellowship andcommunaltie of marchants aduenturers, or the more part of them, whichshalbe then present, so from time to time to be chosen, so that there be15. at the least wholy agreed therof, the said Gouernour or gouernours, orone of them, and 2. of the said Consuls shalbe there, and 12. of theresidue of the said number of 15. shall be of the saide assistants, and inthe absence of such Gouernour, that then 3. of the said Consuls, and 12. ofthe saide assistants at the least for the time being shal and may haue, vseand exercise ful power and authority to rule and gouerne all and singulerthe Marchants of the said fellowship and communaltie, and to execute anddoe full and speedie iustice to them, and euery of them, in all theircauses, differences, variances, controuersies, quarrels, and complaints,within any our realmes, dominions and iurisdictions onely moued, and to bemoued touching their merchandise, traffikes, and occupiers aforesaid, orthe good order or rule of them or any of them.

Also wee for vs, our heires and successours, so much as in vs is, doelikewise by these presents graunt, that the said Gouernour, Consuls,assistants, fellowship and communaltie, and their successors shall and mayhaue perpetuall succession, and a common Seale which shall perpetuallyserue for the affaires and businesse of the saide fellowship andcommunaltie. And that they and their successours, shall and may bee foreuer able persons, and capax in the lawe, for to purchase and possesse infee and perpetuitie, and for term of life or liues, or for terme of yeeresor otherwise, lands, tenements, rents, reuersions, and other possessions,and hereditaments whatsoeuer they bee, by the name of the Gouernour,Consuls, assistants, fellowship and communaltie of the Marchantsaduenturers by Seas and Nauigations for the discouerie of landes,territories, Iles, Dominions, and Seigniories vnknowen, and before thesaide last aduenture or enterprise by seas not frequented, as before isspecified, and by the same names shall and may lawfully alien, graunt, letand set the same or any part thereof to any person or persons able in thelawe to take and receiue the same. So that they doe not graunt nor alienthe same, or any part thereof into mortmaine, without speciall licence ofvs, our heires or successours, first had and obtained.

Also wee for vs, our heires and successours haue graunted, and by thesepresents doe graunt vnto the saide Gouernours, Consuls, assistants,fellowship and communaltie of the saide Marchants and to their successours,that they and their successours, shall and may lawfully purchase vnto themand their successors for euer, landes, tenements and hereditamentswhatsoeuer, of the cleare yeerely value of threescore sixe pounds, thirteen